


Quarantine

by areaderofmanythings



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F, Love, Love Confessions, Romance, True Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:40:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 43,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25685176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/areaderofmanythings/pseuds/areaderofmanythings
Summary: Confessing their love to one another after 10 years apart the day before LA goes into lockdown was a good thing for Beca and Chloe, but living together during the lockdown was even better.
Relationships: Chloe Beale & Beca Mitchell, Chloe Beale/Beca Mitchell
Comments: 32
Kudos: 167





	1. Pre-Quarantine Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow it has been a while, bet you guys thought I'd dropped off the face of the earth, well I did kinda, check the aurthors note at the end of the chapter if you want to know more.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this new fic because I've enjoyed writing it. I hope it will give everyone a reprieve from their daily lives if even for just a brief few minutes. Things have been crazy and I hope you all are happy, healthy and staying sane!
> 
> This fic is kind of AU in some aspects I guess, in that it takes place 10 years after PP2 and Chloe is a doctor (I'm a sucker for Chloe as a doctor).
> 
> Also this is un-betaed. Mainly that's my own fault, I haven't reached out to my super duper awesome friend beta sugarlandaddict23 for help yet, but I will if she'll have me! I just wanted to get this first chapter out otherwise I'll tinker with it for weeks lolol...
> 
> Disclaimer: PP still isn't mine so yeah you know the drill, but everything else, including all mistakes, is!
> 
> Now on with the show...

**Chapter 1: Pre - Quarantine**

Beca [11:35AM]: Hey come over…

The text was typed out and her thumb hit send so fast that Beca could barely even comprehend what she'd done, let alone _who_ she had just messaged.

As Beca laid in bed all she could do for two solid minutes was blankly stare at the darkened phone screen that hovered precariously above her face. In her half-asleep and half-awake delusional state, she'd messaged Chloe. Like in Chloe Beale, like in _Dr. Chloe fucking Beale_ , like in the girl Beca had been in love with for over ten years, like in the girl that vanished from her life and now has recently reappeared.

Tossing her phone aside, Beca closed her eyes, it was getting close to midnight but after that lapse in judgement she was now wide awake. She hasn't been able to sleep much anyway because her mind is constantly on Chloe ever since Chloe accidentally reentered her life a few months ago. Their chance meeting legitimately was an accident, because neither of them knew where the other was living, let alone that they both were living in LA and within twenty minutes from each other.

After graduation and worlds, Chloe had kind of wandered away from her and the Bellas. Out of everyone in the group Beca thought Chloe would have been the one to keep track of everyone and make sure they all stayed connected. However, the exact opposite happened because Chloe didn't just slowly lose touch, she pretty much disappeared from their lives. Chloe dropped away all forms of social media, she quit answering phone calls, texts and emails, and she quit participating in the Bellas WhatsApp group chats.

Chloe's virtual disappearance had made most of the girls in the group sad and angry. And as much as an asshole as this will make her sound, Beca didn't really care that Chloe had stopped talking to them because she thought that wouldn't happened to her and Chloe. She thought she and Chloe had something different, a kind of bond that would last forever despite the different directions that each of their lives might take. So, what hurt the most, devasted Beca really, was that Chloe had simply quit responding to _her_ and without any inclination as to why.

Needless to say, Beca had been just as surprised as everyone when one day, out of nowhere, Chloe had posted a single picture with no explanation to their group chat. It had been the first contact any of them had had with the redhead in close to a year and the picture showed an acceptance letter to Baylor College of Medicine.

That had been a little over ten years ago and Beca can easily say that the last ten years have been rough. Careerwise she was doing great, she was content and happy with the kind of music she was making and how it has provided her with the kind of financial stability and beautiful home that only few could dream of. But on the other hand, her health, personal life and most importantly love life were in fucking shambles. Well the health thing was significantly better since moving to LA and she had made some friends, but settling down with someone romantically held its own obstacles.

Beca found it extremely difficult to date anyone when she knew and they _clearly_ knew that she was in love with someone else. She's found that the type of relationship she wants just don't work when she's constantly comparing the other person to Chloe. And that's left her lonely and without the love, affection, and _family_ that she so desperately wants.

So, it is safe to say that Beca had been completely and utterly surprised to bump into Chloe at, of all places, the frozen food aisle of a grocery store at two in the morning. Chloe had been reaching for a box of Eggo Waffles on one side while Beca had just fished out a frozen pizza from the other. Somehow, fate made them turn around at the same time and literally bump into each as they tried to cross paths.

Chloe had been visibly stunned, speechless in fact, while Beca had felt all the air rush from her lungs. Chloe was more gorgeous now than ever before and as Beca clutched a frozen pepperoni pizza in her hands, all the unrequited love she works so hard to try and forget daily, came flooding back in an instant.

Medical school and life in general had been good to Chloe, _extremely_ good. Chloe looked a little bit older in this really amazing and mature way, she was much more fit, which wasn't surprising considering Chloe loved working out and running, and her skin had the lightest hints of a tan. While the red hair that Beca had loved so much was a tad bit darker and was cut to just below Chloe's shoulders. However, Chloe's warm and gentle smile and bright blue eyes were still the same. Seeing Chloe that night had instantly made a smile cross Beca's lips and as her eyes trailed up Chloe's body taking in every inch she tried to not make it too obvious that she was checking out her onetime best friend.

Chloe had worn simple diamond studded earrings, a rather intricate looking GPS running watch, but no other jewelry. Mainly Beca had noticed that Chloe wasn't wearing a wedding or engagement ring, which was surprising because Chloe had been the kind of person who always had men _and_ women lining up to get their chance to date her, with Beca being at the very end of that line that stretched around the corner. If only Beca had realized she was gay _and_ in love with Chloe just a little sooner then maybe she would have either had a shot or been shot down and not been hung up on Chloe for ten fucking years.

The other thing that made Beca take notice was just how god damn good Chloe made those dark blue surgical scrubs and worn out running shoes look. Her eyes also couldn't help but flash to the embroidery right above Chloe's shirt pocket, because in bright white stitching was _Dr. Chloe Beale, MD, ABA, AAP, SPA, CCM_. While ID badge hanging from the pocket held an equally beautiful picture and stated what all those fancy letters after Chloe's name meant and that Chloe worked at the UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital. Evidently Chloe was an anesthesiologist, that specialized in pediatrics and a few other things Beca had spent hours looking up later.

Beca's phone dinged from beside her and before picking it up, she lifted her hands to rub her eyes, trying to prepare herself for whatever the Chloe's response might be. Reaching for it, she unlocked the screen and tapped on the text message app.

Beca sighed in frustration as she read the message.

Chloe [11:40AM]: Beca, it's late and the city is urging people to stay home and away from others unless absolutely necessary. I know you mainly work from home, but this virus isn't a vacation or a time for a party.

Chloe had been turning her down for everything for the past month, citing one stupid fucking excuse after another. So, this rejection wasn't surprising and Beca figures sex, _incredible_ sex, between two onetime best friends and then one friend running before they could talk about it would tear any relationship apart. It was just sad knowing that because of the impending lockdown that they would more than likely lose touch again and Chloe was probably extremely happy about that.

Beca's phone dinged again.

Chloe [11:42AM]: With your asthma and susceptibility to catching pneumonia that puts you in a higher risk category than most people to become infected with covid. You shouldn't be inviting people over, especially someone who works at a hospital.

Yes, all that stuff was true, but since she moved to LA four years ago she hadn't gotten pneumonia and she hadn't had an asthma attack in almost a year. Her 'susceptibility' to catching pneumonia and colds were the whole reason Beca had moved from New York City to LA. The dry and warm climate, as much as she hates to admit it, drastically improved her health. She just wished she'd taken her doctors advice before she had that stint in the hospital which created her adult onset asthma and killed her singing career.

So, Beca knew Chloe pulling the doctor card was just another excuse to not come over. Chloe was definitely trying to slip out of her life without acknowledging what happened, but Beca wasn't going to allow that. If Chloe wanted to fade away that was fine, but Beca was going to get a say in this time, even if it was just over text message.

Beca [11:46AM]: It'll only be me, it's not like I'm throwing a rager. Besides I don't have that many friends who would actually want to come over during the day let alone at this time of night.

Then for good measure Beca added…

Beca [11:47AM]: And I trust that you'll wash your hands.

Having just reconnected a few months ago they'd met for coffee and lunches over a dozen times and sent mostly short text messages or had even shorter phone conversations.

Each time they would met Chloe had always acted really weird and not weird in the old Chloe Beale quirky weird kind of way that Beca loved, no weird in a formal sense. Like Chloe insisted on paying for her own meals, she didn't initiate hugs or random touches, she always sat on the opposite side of the table, wasn't as open and free in her conversations, and always, _always,_ made sure she parked far enough away so that they never walked to the same parking lot together. It was almost like Chloe wanted to give anyone who may be looking at them, including herself, the impression that they were in no way romantically linked or even friends. And that had always crushed Beca, making her wonder why the fuck Chloe kept responding to her calls or texts when she wanted nothing to do with her.

Needless to say, Beca always left their encounters wondering exactly where she went wrong. She tried to be funny and sarcastically charming and all the other things Chloe had loved back in college, but Beca just couldn't seem to dial Chloe in like she used to. Yeah, she had a few more tattoos and a different type of self-confidence and more money than she could handle, but none of those things had drastically changed her. She was still the pretty simple and totally lame person that she once was.

Eventually Beca just accepted that if she wanted Chloe to be in her life that the weirdness would just have to be their new normal. And it was that way until suddenly everything changed while having Sunday brunch last month.

Brunch had again been weird, but weird in the sense that it had felt _just_ like old times. Maybe it had been the bottomless mimosas or the fact that Beca had openly flirted with the hot waitress in front of Chloe or maybe it was a little bit of both that finally broke down the barriers. Whatever it was made a switch flip inside Chloe and Chloe became the old Chloe that afternoon.

Chloe had been affectionate and happy and full of that fun and exciting Chloe Beale energy that Beca had known and loved in college. Beca had even gotten a couple of cheek kisses that made her blush. The alcohol had them giggling and talking about life and college and the past ten years with an ease and a comfortability of two best friends again. If it wasn't for the fact that the brunch spot needed to close and they were asked to leave, they probably would've stayed all day. So, on a whim, as Beca signed the bill, she suggested they spend the rest of the afternoon by her pool then end the day with beers and burgers. Before she could even finish signing her name, Chloe was accepting and within a half-hour they had caught an Uber home and were drunkenly swimming in their clothes.

Swimming eventually led to a kiss, then to Beca pinning Chloe up against the wall of the pool and them heavily making out. That ultimately ended with them naked in her bed and two of her fingers buried inside Chloe as Chloe clung to her and screamed out her name.

It's an afternoon that Beca can't and doesn't want to erase from her mind. It's also an afternoon that left her feeling completely used, totally devastated and confused, and by this point pretty fucking upset because in a surprising turn of events Chloe had been the one to run and Chloe had been the one to not want to talk about it since.

Beca [11:53AM]: I know you're at work otherwise you wouldn't be awake and texting me at this time of night.

Chloe [11:55AM]: I'm on-call…

Chloe [11:58AM]: I'm at work because I had an emergency call come in earlier tonight just before my shift ended. I finished post op care an hour ago and elected to stay to finish my paperwork now rather than later. Today has been crazy long and extremely trying, so once I'm done I'm going home to shower and sleep.

Now that Chloe seemed to be talking, Beca was trying to figure out what she could say next to entice Chloe to come over.

Beca [12:01AM]: So come do that stuff here.

Beca [12:03AM]: I'll make you food or coffee or both. I'd offer beer but I'm out. I have wine though…

Beca [12:05AM]: I know you're hungry, you told me once you don't eat much while you're on-call.

Beca [12:07AM]: I also have a shower and a guest room for you to crash in…or you can share my bed…

Beca bit her lip after she hit send on that last message. Adding that bit about her bed was touching on a shaky subject that may make Chloe ghost her again. They weren't in a romantic relationship, they were trapped somewhere in between and she had hoped that afternoon before Chloe ran that they'd figure it all out but that never happened. Although the way they were acting right now felt like they were about to go through a bad breakup. So, Beca's prepared for it and when it goes south she will just chalk it up as another failed relationship and friendship.

Over the past ten years Beca has had a few relationships, the longest one being with a woman named Christina and lasting almost a year. That one abruptly ended with a slap to her face after she confessed that she wasn't and had never been in love with the other woman despite having said the words daily. Then to make matters worse she also let it slip that she had been in love with someone else the entire time and that she dragged their relationship out for so long in hopes that Christina would turn into her forever person.

Beca felt horrible about how that one ended because Christina was probably the exact type of person that she needed. Christina was nice and sweet, she had a super cute two year old kid, was a dedicated middle school history teacher, and _all_ the Bellas loved her, including Fat Amy. So, Christina wasn't a bad person, Christina's only fault was that she just wasn't Chloe.

After Christina, Beca had strictly focused on partners who never wanted anything serious. And for the past two years that worked, it had worked amazingly, but then Chloe came crashing back into her life, they slept together, and that subsequently awakened everything inside Beca that she had been craving for so long.

That afternoon with Chloe there was a connection and intimacy and what Beca thought had been love in their actions towards each other. Unlike it might have been with other partners, that afternoon hadn't been just sex for Beca. In fact, she'd even planned on telling Chloe everything and asking Chloe out on a proper date once Chloe woke up from her nap, but Beca never got that chance. Chloe had run the minute Beca had slipped out of bed to shower and that had crushed Beca's world all over again.

Beca [12:07AM]: Just…

Beca [12:09AM]: Just come over, this will be a good time for us to talk.

Chloe [12:10AM]: ?

Beca rolled her eyes and rapidly began typing. She wasn't going to play this game and just pretend like they didn't sleep together. She was done tiptoeing around this subject and she refused to allow Chloe not to acknowledge it anymore.

Beca [12:12AM]: Dude don't give me that, you know why…but in case you forgot I'll spell it out for you, we had sex all and then you fucking ditched me…we're not twenty anymore and this isn't college, we need to talk about this.

Beca was fuming now and on a fucking roll and it felt good.

Beca [12:13PM]: Did you just use me? If so not cool, not fucking cool…

Beca [12:14AM]: It feels like you're attempting to drop out of my life again, but before you do that, at least hear what I have to say first…

The bubble indicating Chloe was typing appeared than disappeared, then reappeared. That trend went on for a few minutes until Beca couldn't take it anymore and she started furiously typing again.

Beca [12:17AM]: Sex with you meant something to me, it meant more than you know. And I was going to tell you what it meant but you bolted before I had a chance. You hurt me Chloe and you left me so fucking confused and now you won't even acknowledge it!

The bubble indicating Chloe was typing vanished and Beca sighed in frustration when no new text came through.

Beca [12:20AM]: Was the sex that bad? Was I a horrible kisser? Did you fake your orgasms?

The bubble was back and this time didn't disappear so Beca just waited, her heart pounding…

Chloe [12:23AM]: Nothing about that afternoon was bad and I didn't have to fake anything. You were incredible in so many ways, ways that I've wanted for so long, ways that I never expected. I was wrong for running out on you. I'm sorry for running, I'm sorry that I hurt you and I'm sorry that I wasn't there to hear what you had to say.

 _Finally_ , Beca thought, she got some kind of reaction that said Chloe at least acknowledged what happened. It had taken nearly a month but finally Chloe is showing a little inclining that maybe she doesn't entirely regret what happened.

Beca [12:25AM]: A lot of things have confused me over the last ten years Chloe and the aftermath of sleeping with you has brought everything to a head and just made me feel worse. I was broken after you left…

Beca [12:26AM]: both times…

Beca can remember exactly how devastated she felt sitting there on the edge of her bed, crying with her head in her hands after realizing Chloe had left and was pushing all her calls to voicemail. Then to make matters worse, Beca didn't even have anyone she could talk to. She couldn't eve call Aubrey because Beca hadn't told anyone that she'd been in contact with Chloe and she couldn't handle the sheer amount of questions that would bring up let along the amount that would come once she revealed they had sex. So, she had to deal with everything herself and she hasn't gotten over it.

Chloe [12:27AM]: That was never my intent.

Beca [12:30AM]: I feel like I totally fucked up and did something really wrong, I just don't know what I did. If you're not going to come over, before you fade away and drop me again, can you at least tell me what I did wrong?

Beca [12:31AM]: I deserve to know that…

There was nothing but radio silence after that, there wasn't even a bubble indicating Chloe was typing. The only thing that changed on the screen was the little message below Beca's text switching from delivered to read a few minutes later.

Figuring that was it, the end of their conversation and friendship, Beca tossed her phone aside and turned to stare out the sliding glass window that looked out over her pool. She'd accidentally left the pool light on, making the water softly glow in this really inviting way. Unfortunately, the light also clearly illuminated the place where she'd pinned Chloe up against the wall in chest deep water. Moving her eyes away she was met with yet another reminder of her and Chloe, this time in her room. She can still see the spots along her hardwood floor that their wet footprints had made as they kissed their way to her bed.

Closing her eyes, Beca clutched her pillow tighter but she just couldn't shake the memories. That afternoon had been the most fulfilling and incredible experience of her life. They had just been so in sync and so giving in their actions towards each other, because it felt like they both had waited for that moment for years. Afterwards there had been no talking, just Chloe drawing lazy patterns along her abdomen and kissing the spot right above her heart or lips. She on the other hand had just laid there and took it all in while tracing Chloe's spine. Their kisses and touches eventually ramped up and the second time around was a little more needy than the first, not that Beca was complaining. Hell no she'd never complain, because Chloe had some tricks up her sleeve that had pretty much blew Beca's mind.

Beca's phone chimed again making her dog Lennon, the little Boston Terrier she rescued four years ago, perk his head up from his bed in the corner and give a snort of frustration. He was tiny compared to a full sized Boston Terrier, he maxed out at almost 11 inches tall and a little over ten pounds. Evidently, he was the runt of the litter and not predicted to make it when he was surrendered to the shelter at just three weeks old. She'd found him hiding in a blanket next to one of his sisters in a small crate in the back of the shelter with all the other puppies that weren't up for adoption yet. Forgoing the shelters protests, she insisted on immediately taking him home, where she bottle fed him around the clock and let him snooze on her chest so he'd stay warm and know he was loved. Eventually he started perking up and gaining weight and before she knew it the little guy who once could fit in her hand was happily scooting around her house nipping at her ankles and swimming in her pool.

He was an unexpected addition to her home, he moved in a few days after Beca had arrived in LA like he was always meant to be there. She can still remember how she had to use one of her moving boxes stuffed with warm blankets and a couple of toys as his temporary bed for a few nights until she could get to a pet store to pick up the rest of the things he might need.

"I know I feel you dude," Beca sighed rolling to her back again, "but love isn't convenient sometimes. Come here," she patted the spot next to her, "let's get comfy."

Seconds later Beca heard the jingle of his collar then watched him hop up on the bed with his favorite stuffed duck hanging from his mouth. Arranging a blanket next to her Lennon dove under it until his head and the duck popped out the other side. After a few seconds of squirming he chilled and laid his head down on his front paws and stared at her.

Other than Chloe, that little guy was the love of her life. He was the best dog ever, super smart and totally chill, he was her little buddy and best of all he tended to growl at Aubrey for no reason. So, in that aspect he was also her spirit animal.

"You're still mama's puppy, aren't you?" Beca kissed the top of his head. "What no kisses?" She lightly laughed as Lennon's paw lightly swatted at her face making her laugh. "Ok, ok, I'll leave you be…"

Reaching for her phone Beca unlocked it with a heavy sigh. However, the text she saw was not the text she expected.

Chloe [12:49AM]: I'll come by, are there any Chinese places still open?

The fact that Chloe was even remotely entertaining the idea of coming over had Beca sitting straight up in bed and switching the light on.

She didn't want to seem too excited in her response because she knew a dozen restaurants that were open until 2AM, but she also had leftover spaghetti and Chloe loved pasta so she debated about offering that instead. Except Chloe had _specifically_ said Chinese and at this point Beca would agree to just about anything if it meant Chloe would show up at her door.

Beca [12:53AM]: I know a place. You still like that beef dish with the wide noodles and spicy veggies?

Chloe [12:54AM]: It's beef chow fun and yes, I still love that.

Beca [12:55AM]: Cool I'll order now, should be here in 20-30 minutes. Get here whenever you're done, no rush. My address is 3001 Dona Nenita Pl, Studio City 91604, I'll leave the garage door open, you can park next to me if you want…

Chloe [12:55AM]: I'll bring beer…

Erasing an over eager 'I can't wait' and 'I'll see you soon' Beca's thumbs hesitated over the keyboard. She was drawing a blank about what exactly she should write that would covey that yes, she was happy, but that they also needed to talk. In the end she settled on something clean and simple.

Beca [12:57AM]: Thanks for coming…

Chloe's reply was almost instant.

Chloe [12:57AM]: yw…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hanks for reading!
> 
> Liked it, loved it or hated it? I want to know your thoughts, so drop me a review or shoot me a PM and let me know what you think.
> 
> I've tentatively labeled this 'M' for right now because I haven't decided if an 'M' section will be included in one of the later chapters.
> 
> A/N: For anyone that cares, I've had a lot go on in my life since I ended 'The Reclusive Music Producer...' and I just don't know where to begin. I'll spare you all the nitty gritty details of sickness that lasted for months and jump to the fact that during my time gone I got a promotion at work, then almost a year to the day of that promotion happening, I got a job opportunity of a lifetime in a completely new industry that I just couldn't turn down. So I left my old job of 7 years to start that one and I had to move and then most recently have been recovering from a broken foot. So yeah, I've been super busy!
> 
> But during all that mess I have found time to write! I have another Bechloe story that is almost completely written and it's super long. It's been my project off and on forever and I promised myself after the 'The Reclusive Music Producer...' was over that I'd finish a fic before I started posting chapters. And I'm almost at that point with that fic...The Reclusive Music Producer Epilogue is in the works and getting closer to being done!...Then there's this little gem that came out of boredom while I've been working from home. It's mostly complete, I'm just missing a little bit of the last chapter and some real good edits. It's not an awfully long fic and I don't have a set schedule for posting, but hopefully it'll be somewhat regular.
> 
> So I've still be writing and hope to be sharing that stuff with you guys soon!
> 
> Until next time...


	2. Pre-Quarantine Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this wasn't my original Chapter 2. I didn't like where my original Chapter 2 started and reading through it left too much of Chloe's side of things unanswered, so I pushed the original Chapter 2 to Chapter 3 and wrote this instead.
> 
> Basically in Chapter 1 we saw Beca's side of their text conversation and now here's Chloe's.
> 
> Disclaimer: PP still isn't mine and never will be, so yeah you know the drill, but everything else, including all mistakes, is!
> 
> Now on with the show...

Chloe opened her eyes and tilted her head away from the wall that she had been resting it against. She had stepped out of the recovery room and into the hallway for a few quiet minutes to herself after an extremely long and challenging day. However, her quiet time was short lived seeing Sarah, tonight's overnight nurse, poke her head around the recovery room door.

"Dr. Beale?"

Chloe pushed off the wall and straightened her coat, "What's up?"

"The patient in recovery four is ready for your final exam," Sarah stepped fully into the hallway and held open the door. "And I've scheduled his move to his overnight room, we're just waiting on your signature."

Chloe plastered on a warm smile over her tiredness, "Thanks Sarah, how's he responding after pushing another round of warm fluids and bringing in his mom?"

Sarah softly laughed, "He's alert and is answering questions now. He's adorable, his mom brought this stuffed Snoopy toy in and now they're cuddling."

"That kid's a trooper," Chloe laughed as she started towards the door. "I'm glad my night is ending with him."

"And I'm glad he's starting mine," Sarah said as Chloe followed her back inside.

Stopping at a nearby sink, Chloe stuck her hands under the faucet.

"Sarah?" The young nurse turned. "Can you grab another blanket please?" Chloe reached for the soap. "And let Mom know I'll be there in a few minutes."

Sarah nodded and then was off, leaving Chloe to her thoughts as she tiredly scrubbed her hands.

On-call days were only supposed to last twenty-four hours, but the caseload today had been crazy and Chloe was well past that since her shift started yesterday at noon. At least Charlie and his broken arm, caused by a weird slip-n-slide accident, had been a great end to her day.

Since graduating Barden University, a little over ten years ago, Chloe has accomplished a lot. She has graduated with honors from Baylor Medical School and completed an intensive three year residency program at the Phoenix Children's Hospital concentrating in critical care pediatric anesthesiology. After that she opted to stay at there and work on a surgical team that rotated between emergency surgery and transplant work. She really loved that job, it was exciting and challenging and kept her on her toes, but six months ago UCLA's Mattel Children's Hospital called with a similar opportunity that she just could not turn down. It was tough leaving Phoenix, but she couldn't wait to see what a bigger hospital with cutting edge technology and medical care could really do.

Chloe officially started at UCLA's Mattel Children's Hospital three months ago, but she still has a few months before she joins the emergency surgery and transplant teams. So, until then she's stuck doing prescheduled surgeries and on-call nights like regular staff doctors. Even if it was mundane and repetitive, it wasn't all bad because it has given her an opportunity to learn the hospital and their protocol.

Overall, Chloe loved being a doctor, it challenged her in ways she never thought possible and it gave a sense of purpose in life that she had always chased. Helping kids was probably one of the highlights of her entire life, but some days were tough and showed her that life wasn't always fair.

But as great as Chloe's career was going, she had absolutely no one to share it with. She wasn't married, she didn't have a girlfriend, and she had very few friends, and it had been that way since she purposely walked away from the Bellas and Beca Mitchell ten years ago.

Walking away from every friend she ever had was probably the worst decision of Chloe's life, but at the time her head was all kinds of screwed up. She had absolutely no direction in life, she was confused about her sexuality and she was completely _in love_ with her _straight_ best friend. So, she felt like she had no choice but to pull away from everyone to try and figure it all out.

Worlds just happened to be the place where it all came together because Chloe found it painfully difficult to continue to hide her feelings for Beca. So instead of revealing everything and suffering through an agonizing rejection, that would no doubt embarrass her and Beca, Chloe chose to alienate herself from everyone.

And it was during a long layover at the Denver airport while on the way home to Portland from Worlds that Chloe first found out what it was going to be like to be completely alone. Beca wasn't there nagging her for candy or coffee, Fat Amy wasn't hitting on some random man who looked terrified, and Jessica and Ashley weren't huddled together reading a magazine. She was alone and the thing that made it even more depressing was knowing that all her friends were heading off in various directions around the country to these new and exciting job opportunities while she had _nothing_. She had no plan, no job interviews, hell she didn't even know how she was going to get home from the airport. So, as she stood in the airport bookstore contemplating her life and trying to figure out what her next move was going to be, her eyes landed on a MCAT prep book and a guidebook on how to get into medical school.

Medical school had always been something Chloe toyed with in college, but it was actually her Grandfather that had given her the motivation she needed. Yeah, he was a highly respected anesthesiologist in Portland, but most importantly he was her biggest and probably _only_ supporter. During her undergrad graduation all her parents did was comment on her lack of motivation to actually graduate and how she wasn't really 'committed' to finding a job or doing anything with her life. Thankfully just before she broke down her grandfather stepped in and told them to give her time and that her path in life would hit her when she least expected it. And it did hit her, it hit her as she stood in the Denver airport bookstore. So, Chloe bought those books, got her shit together, and did what she needed to do to get into medical school.

Chloe thought that by immersing herself in all things medical school that she would be able to shake her feelings for Beca, but that didn't exactly happen. Instead Chloe found out the hard way that there was no way she could ever just fall out of love or forget about Beca Mitchell. Being in love with Beca is something that plagues her daily even when she had a serious girlfriend who she could have married.

To Chloe, Beca will always be the love of her life and her soulmate, and now that she knows Beca is gay Chloe realizes just how much she's lost by not putting herself out there. Who knows maybe if she had done that they could have been more than friends and then again maybe they wouldn't.

Pushing thoughts of Beca temporarily out of her mind, Chloe focused back on her job as she dried her hands and tossed the paper towels in the trash as she rounded the edge of the doctor's station. Grabbing her stethoscope Chloe looped it around her neck, then reached for Charlie King's medical chart and briefly reviewed it. Before moving towards the only occupied bed in the room, she slid open a nearby drawer and took a couple of stickers from the growing pile and one of the ward's pain charts.

Putting on a bright smile, Chloe tucked the cart under her arm and stepped over to greet Charlie's mother.

"Hi, Mrs. King," Chloe took a seat in the small rolling chair that Sarah had waiting for her, "I thought I'd introduce myself again since there was a lot going on when we briefly met down in the ER. I'm Dr. Beale the on-call anesthesiologist." The woman nodded. "I was part of Charlie's medical team in the OR tonight." She kindly smiled but it did nothing to ease the young mother's worry, the only thing that could do that is if Charlie was safe and sound at home with two less metal screws in his arm. "First off, Charlie did awesome, no problems whatsoever."

Mrs. King let out the breath she seemed to have been holding, "The orthopedic surgeon said it was a routine case and a success, I just got worried it took over an hour to see him afterwards. The surgeon said maybe it would take thirty minutes."

"Some kids take a little longer to wake up than others. It's nothing to worry about, I monitored him every step of the way," Chloe reassured. "Now, I'm just going to do a quick exam before we can get him to his room for the night."

"Can I stay?"

"Absolutely it will only take a few minutes…" Chloe rolled her chair to the opposite side of the bed so that she was at eye level with her six year old patient, who was quietly, yet intently, watching her every move. "Hi yeah Charlie, remember me?" He nodded. "How you feel?"

"Sleepy," Charlie gave a big yawn.

"Me too little man, me too," Chloe winked at Charlie's mom who kindly smiled back. "But you know what's awesome?" Leaning a little closer she whispered, "We're up way past our bedtime on a school night! And if you promise not to tell my mom, I won't tell yours. Deal?"

Charlie smiled and nodded, "Deal."

"Awesome."

Chloe set a pen and Charlie's chart down on the tray table next to the bed, then leaned over to grab a pair of gloves from a box hanging on the wall.

"Ok, I'm going to check you out and ask some questions," Chloe smiled as she put on her gloves. "After that you can go to sleep, ok?"

Charlie gave a tired nod.

"Who's your friend?"

"Snoopy."

"Snoopy? How did you know he's my favorite?" Chloe smiled as she removed her stethoscope from around her neck then listened to his heart and lungs with a smile. "Want me to check Snoopy?" Charlie nodded and she playfully placed the chest piece against the stuffed dog and nodded thoughtfully as she listened. "You and Snoopy both sound happy and healthy to me." She draped the stethoscope back around her neck. "Are you and Snoopy cold?"

"A little," Charlie drowsily confirmed.

Turing to Sarah she muttered, "He's not shivering anymore, but his heart rate is a little slow, so let's give him the blanket you brought and continue with the warm fluids." Focusing back on Charlie she smiled, "Nurse Sarah is going to give you and Snoopy a big warm and snuggly blanket after I'm done. How's that sound?"

"Thank you," Charlie yawned.

"Is everything ok?" Charlie's mom quietly asked.

Chloe gave a reassuring nod, "No need to worry, being cold and his general drowsiness are typical after surgery." The two smiled at each other. "He's responding exactly how he should be."

"Thank god." Charlie's mom said in relief then leaned in a little closer. "How about his arm, will it need a cast?"

"The orthopedic surgeon can better answer that," Chloe kindly said. "He'll be in to see you again after they move Charlie up to his room…" She shifted her attention back to Charlie after Mrs. King gave a nod. "Do you feel like you're gonna throw-up anymore?"

"No."

"No more tummy aches, that's good," Chloe picked up the chart and flipped it open to the second page. Clicking her pen, she jotted down a note. "How about your head, does it hurt?"

"Nope. My throat does."

"That's completely normal too mom. It's from intubation during surgery," Chloe reassured not even looking away from what she was writing. "Make sure he eats soft foods like mash potatoes or soup for a day or two so he doesn't irritate anything."

Charlie perked up at the mention of food, "Can I have ice cream?"

"Oh definitely…" Setting the chart aside, Chloe lightly laughed, "Let me guess, you're a chocolate guy?" The little boy gave an enthusiastic smile. Standing, she grinned too, "I love caramel, but chocolate is a close second." Removing a small flashlight from her coat pocket she turned it on. "Ok dude, remember this spot here?" She flashed the light up at the ceiling. "I want you to look at it while I check your eyes."

"Like last time?"

"Exactly like last time."

"Is something wrong?" Mrs. King asked.

"Nope…" Gently using her fingers Chloe opened Charlie's left eyelid a little wider, "Keep looking up for me buddy." She briefly flashed the light into it then did the same for the right eye. "This is just standard procedure Mom," she reassured. "Ok, now look at me…" She briefly flashed the light from the left to the right to check for responsiveness. "Awesome job!"

The little boy had the prettiest grey-blue eyes and dark brunette hair that Chloe had ever seen. In a lot of ways, he kind of reminded her of Beca because Beca had those same really amazing eyes and that loveable lopsided smile. If she really concentrated hard enough the little boy could easily pass as Beca Mitchell's son and that just tugged at her heartstrings.

Chloe desperately wants a family of her own, being a mom is something she has always wanted, even back as a freshman in college she wanted it. Like she's envious of all her married classmates and how happy and fulfilled their lives seem to be. Being married with a couple kids and maybe a dog living on a quiet street in a nice home is the type of stability Chloe wants and needs. Sadly though, she knows that's just not ever going to be in the cards for her because her personal life is constantly in complete shambles.

"You're pretty," Charlie reached out and poked Chloe's cheek making everyone laugh.

"Well thank you, you're _very_ handsome," Chloe lightly replied fighting back amusement as she gently lowered his arm. "Try to not move that around too much."

Those Beca Mitchell grey-blue eyes peered up at her again and Chloe felt her heartbreak a little more. She missed those kind and loving eyes, but recently they'd been the things haunting her and it was all her fault. Shaking off those thoughts she focused on picking up the patient chart and marking down more notes.

"Ok, just a couple more questions." Looking over at Charlie, Chloe smiled, "Do you know where you are?"

"The doctors?"

Chloe chuckled along with everyone in the room, "Exactly. Do you know why you're here?"

"I hurt my arm on the slip-n-slide."

"You sure did and you're going to have a super cool scar to show off to all the girls at school…" Moving aside the bedsheet, Chloe checked his toes for positive color changes. "Where's your mom?" Charlie looked right and pointed, "Awesome job. Can you point to Nurse Sarah?" Charlie pointed to the left. "You're on a roll! Now," she covered his feet again then asked, "what color is my shirt?"

Charlie squinted, "Blue."

"Great job…" Chloe stepped over to the side of the bed and adjusted a setting on the oxygen monitor. "Do you remember my name?"

Charlie peered at her for a few seconds trying to figure that out. This was a standard question she asked kids multiple times while they were coming out of anesthesia. Chloe didn't really expect him to remember her name, instead she was trying to gauge his alertness. An alert patient trying to figure that out showed signs of the anesthesia wearing off properly and forty-five minutes ago, he could barely focus on her.

"I know that question wasn't fair," Chloe softly spoke in a kind tone while pocketing her pen. "How about this, did I put you to sleep?"

Charlie nodded, "And woke me up."

"Look at you, Mr. Smarty Pants!" Chloe moved around to the side of the bed. "Ok, who did I say was my favorite dog?"

Charlie's face lit up and he held out his stuffed animal, "Snoopy."

Taking off her gloves, Chloe tossed them in a nearby trash can.

"You're exactly right! And I think you and Snoopy deserve stickers for being such awesome patients, don't you?" Charlie nodded as Chloe fished the stickers out of her pocket. She placed a simple smiley face sticker on Snoopy's chest and an Avengers one Charlie's hospital gown. "I think Iron Man is perfect for you since you have a couple pins and a metal plate in your arm now."

"Iron Man is cool!"

"He most certainly is." Chloe confirmed with a laugh as Sarah handed her the pain chart. "Ok, final question Charlie, I promise. Let's pretend you're the Lego Man in this picture. If you have this face," she pointed to the left side of the picture, "it means your arm doesn't hurt and you're happy. But this one," she pointed to the face at the right side, "means you're arm hurts bad, so bad that it makes you want to cry. Can you point to the face that shows me how your arm feels right now?"

Charlie tiredly studied at the picture for a few seconds until he lifted his hand and pointed to the face in the middle with a tear falling down one cheek.

"Great job…" Taking a seat back in the rolling chair, Chloe reached for the chart again.

Flipping it open, Chloe scribbled out an order to push another round of pain medication then reviewed the last few pages before adding her final post exam notes and signing off.

"Ok, Charlie," closing the chart, Chloe looked up to find those grey-blue eyes staring at her and they made her smile, "you're ready to head to your room for the night."

Charlie grinned, "Do I get ice cream?"

Chloe just laughed, she swears this kid is one of her favorite patients ever. He was so chill and happy and just went with the flow before and after surgery like it was no big deal.

"Not tonight little man…"

"Please?"

Charlie dramatically frowned, in a way that reminded Chloe so much of Beca Mitchell. It was an epic frown too, complete with eyes that made her want to cave, but she knew she had to hold her ground.

"We don't want to upset your tummy, but," Chloe pulled a prescription pad out of her coat pocket, "I'll give your mom strict orders to give you some tomorrow, ok?"

Chloe jokingly wrote out ' _1 Gallon of Chocolate Ice Cream'_ as the medication and in the space below for the directions she wrote _'two scoops nightly'_ then signed her name at the bottom.

Tearing the paper off the pad, Chloe playfully held it out across the bed to Charlie's mom, "Make sure this is given in moderation please."

"I think we can handle that," Mrs. King took the paper with a chuckle. "I'll make sure my husband brings some home ASAP, it was his idea to set that damn slip-n-slide up tonight anyways."

Wearing a grin, Chloe turned back to Charlie with her hands on her knees.

"Ok no more questions, I promise. You can go to sleep now if you want." Charlie immediately snuggled into his stuffed toy and closed his eyes. Sarah quickly stepped forward and began spreading out an additional blanket as Chloe rolled the stool around the bed to Mrs. King. "So, I've prescribed another round of pain meds and signed the orders for them to move him up to a room. Unless the surgeon says otherwise, you can expect him to be released sometime tomorrow morning. Do you have any questions for me?"

"How long should I expect him to be this drowsy for?" Mrs. King quietly asked.

"He should be relatively back to normal in a day or two. He'll probably sleep most of tomorrow and may not want to eat much, but that's normal. Just make sure he takes it easy and drinks plenty of fluids." Chloe answered with practiced ease, because that's a question she gets constantly. Smirking, she added, "Also, no slip-n-slides anytime soon."

Mrs. King laughed shaking her head, "My husband, who is a nervous wreck in the waiting room, said we're done with slip-n-slides forever."

"I had a friend from college say the exact same thing after a similar accident," Chloe couldn't help but laugh a little harder remembering Beca's ill fortune. "She ended up with four stitches under her chin and a broken finger. And if you listen to her tell the story, it was the end of the world." They both laughed. "I can say with complete certainty that Charlie was a much better patient then her, in all aspects, including dramatics."

Chloe could still picture Beca and Fat Amy doing the tandem slide down the hill behind the Bellas house her second senior year like it was yesterday.

It had been one of those long and extremely hot summer afternoons when all the Bellas were home with nothing to do except eat pizza and pound back shots and cheap beer. Chloe's not sure whose idea it was or how the conversation even started but what she remembers is Beca and Fat Amy throwing a tarp down, emptying a whole bottle of liquid dish soap on it and Cynthia Rose using the hose to make the sudsy mess. The first twenty or so minutes had been awesome, everyone took turns and they'd even had a contest for who could do the most creative slide, but then Beca drunkenly challenged Fat Amy to a race. The next thing Chloe knew the pair were charging towards the tarp with pool floats they'd stolen from the Trebles yard. Their takeoff had been perfect, but the wipe out at the end wasn't as spectacular. Fat Amy naturally walked away unscathed, Beca however wasn't so lucky. The trip to the hospital had been both hysterically funny and a chore because a drunk, bleeding, and in pain Beca Mitchell was a bad combination.

"Thank you, Dr. Beale," Mrs. King smiled as she looked over to her son, "I know you weren't the surgeon but you were the one who was with him from start to finish." Looking back at Chloe, Mrs. King let out a grateful sigh, "Thank you for taking care of him."

"No problem, it's why I love my job…" Standing, Chloe tucked the chart under her arm then placed her hands in her coat pockets. "I'll be right over there," she tilted her head toward the doctor's station, "so just yell if need anything."

Moving back over to the sink, Chloe quickly washed her hands then made a beeline for the doctor's station and her coffee. Stepping around the counter she reached for her cup and before she could get a sip in she yawned. Her mind was running on all cylinders because today had been one of those really long and tough days and she couldn't wait to get home, shower and curl into bed and not move from it for like a solid day. She already had plans to start a new book and just lounge around all day tomorrow reading it between naps.

Plopping down in a chair, Chloe tiredly rubbed an eye. Despite the fact that work had been crazy and she was sleep deprived that wasn't the only thing keeping her up at night. Since sleeping with Beca last month, Chloe can barely function and it was getting harder and harder not to think about it or Beca constantly. She found that simple things like a patient's eyes or a joke would trigger something inside her and send her mind down the Beca Mitchell rabbit hole.

Chloe has made so many bad and immature decisions in the past in regards to Beca and their friendship that she doesn't even know where to begin with an apology. She had seen the pain in Beca's eyes that night they bumped into each other and because Beca is just too nice of a person she had never questioned anything about the past.

If only Chloe hadn't been so scared back in college then she wouldn't be in this mess right now. But Beca had been straight, _very_ straight, like Beca had a boyfriend for four years type of straight, and Chloe hadn't been straight at all and she hadn't told anyone, not even Aubrey. So, being gay and being around Beca and knowing how sickeningly in love she was turned out to be too much to handle. So, Chloe kept her love _and_ her sexuality a complete secret and over compensated by outwardly flirting and dating random guys so no one would ask questions.

Chloe knew her friends wouldn't care that she was gay, after all the a cappella world was pretty open to just about anything. However, it was the thought of Beca not returning her feelings that ultimately led to the worst decision Chloe has ever made. The thing was, once Chloe walked away she never expected to actually talk to or see Beca Mitchell again. But now all the things she didn't want to happen have and now sex has complicated it even more.

Taking in a deep breath, Chloe tried to steady her emotions. She needed to wait until she was at home sitting on her shower floor with the water streaming down her before she allowed herself to cry. She hadn't cried at work yet and she wasn't going to start today.

Wiping under her eyes, Chloe reached for her coffee cup again and took a long sip before setting it aside and logging into her laptop and trying to focus back on work.

It was over an hour later when Chloe's phone dinged from within her coat pocket. She fought the urge to immediately check it because she knew _exactly_ who it was. It wasn't her parents because she had not heard from them since they had yet another falling out four months ago after she told them she had taken this job and was moving to LA instead of back home to take over her Grandfather's practice. So, that only left Beca Mitchell.

Signing her name at the bottom of a page, Chloe's phone dinged again, letting her know she still had that unread message. Setting everything, she removed her phone from her pocket, quickly unlocked it, and read the first text she had received from Beca in a little over a week. Although to be fair, this wasn't the first time she heard from Beca this week, this was just the first text. Beca had tried calling her numerous times and Beca had been smart about it too, calling at odd hours during the day when she knows Chloe wasn't working.

Beca [11:35PM]: Hey come over…

It seems like Beca has gone from trying to 'talk it out over the phone' to now pointblank asking Chloe to come over. Avoiding calls was easy, but having to see Beca face to face as Beca tried to justify what happened between them as just a drunken one night stand was going to be excruciating. Behind the rough exterior, Beca iss a very kind and sensitive person, so Chloe knows Beca is going to take the blame for what happened and will reassure Chloe that what happened wasn't her fault. Taking the blame is just what Beca did, it's what Beca always did when they fought over things back in college.

Reluctantly moving her fingers across the screen, Chloe constructed the best possible excuse she could come up with for not going over, which in fairness was legit because LA was teetering on the brink of a major shutdown.

Chloe [11:40AM]: Beca, it's late and the city is urging people to stay home and away from others unless absolutely necessary. I know you mainly work from home, but this virus isn't a vacation or a time for a party.

Prolonging the discussion is the worst thing that Chloe can do, because Beca's not going to let her walk away so easily this time. Beca is going to fight for her and that fight is completely justifiable. It's just that Chloe needs more time to figure out exactly what she is going to say and how she is going to answer all of Beca's questions.

Chloe [11:42AM]: With your asthma and susceptibility to catching pneumonia that puts you in a higher risk category than most people to become infected with covid. You shouldn't be inviting people over, especially someone who works at a hospital.

After hitting send, Chloe set her phone aside. Using Beca's health to prevent their talk was a low blow, but on the other hand the concern was justifiable because this virus was scary. She loved Beca and that combined with being a doctor meant she also didn't want anything to happen to Beca.

Back in college they used to make fun Beca for always being the one to catch the back to school cold, the winter flu, and the summertime sniffles, but back then they didn't think anything of it. So, it had surprised Chloe to hear that Beca's health had been the downfall of her singing career. They haven't talked in depth about it, but now that she's a doctor, Chloe can only surmise that pressure, stress, and long hours had caused an already compromised immune to spiral out of control and severely kick Beca's ass.

It's just a shame adult onset asthma was ultimately the downfall of Beca's singing career. Thankfully Beca's label didn't give up on her or her other obvious musical talents. Instead of throwing Beca aside, they offered Beca a job as a producer and songwriter, and much to Chloe's surprise, Beca also composes commercial and television jingles. Beca jokingly calls herself a 'lightweight version' of Charlie Harper from _Two and a Half Men_ , except that she's a handworker, isn't a womanizer, and isn't a drunk because everyone knows she can't handle liquor. That had instantly made Chloe laugh because it was such an accurate depiction. Beca wasn't a household name, but Beca was extremely successful and seems to be very happy with the direction her career has gone.

Chloe's phone chimed from the edge of the desk. Reaching for it she quickly scanned the message.

Beca [11:46AM]: It'll only be me, it's not like I'm throwing a rager. Besides I don't have that many friends who would actually want to come over during the day let alone at this time of night.

Even back in college Beca was never an 'all night rager' or even very much of a party person, so Chloe knows that probably hasn't changed. Beca valued her sleep and her privacy over large gatherings with obnoxious drunks. Granted, at times, Beca did party with the rest of their friends, but Chloe always knew that Beca much would rather have been at home working on music or watching Netflix. Beca Mitchell was such a homebody and a creature of habit and it was so cute.

Another text came through before she could reply and Chloe couldn't help but chuckle.

Beca [11:47AM]: And I trust that you'll wash your hands.

Beca still had this way of breaking the tension and easily make Chloe smile. Beca was just too fucking adorable for her own good sometimes and Chloe loves how that hasn't changed from college. Chloe will admit she missed the wit and sarcasm, and the _charm,_ but what she missed the most was the late night talks they always shared. She had some of the best times in her life laying on Beca's bed at midnight talking about nothing and everything. They had shared so much during those talks that Chloe firmly believes that she was one of the few people who actually knew and understood Beca.

Unable to think of a reply, Chloe decided to let it be and focus back on finishing her paperwork. Signing her name and medical ID number to the last page of Charlie's chart she closed it and turned to her laptop. Typing in a few notes she checked a box that said from an anesthesiologist standpoint, Charlie was free to be released in the morning. She then digitally signed and closed out the screen.

As Chloe reached for another chart, a new text sounded.

_Damn_ , _Beca wasn't giving up tonight_ , Chloe thought.

Beca [11:53AM]: I know you're at work otherwise you wouldn't be awake and texting me at this time of night.

It's surprising how well Beca already knows her routine. Unless she is on-call Chloe usually lets late night texts like these go unanswered because in the hospital world sleep is a hot commodity. However, Beca also knows that when it is this late at night and she is in such a tired state that her guard is down and she is more than willing to respond.

Chloe [11:55AM]: I'm on-call…

Even though right now her and Beca's relationship was teetering on the edge of collapse, Chloe was still glad she had someone to talk to. She's had a tough day and talking to someone, even someone when there's tension, is nice and she doesn't feel so lonely.

Chloe [11:58AM]: I'm at work because I had an emergency call come in earlier tonight just before my shift ended. I finished post op care an hour ago and elected to stay to finish my paperwork now rather than later. Today has been crazy long and extremely trying, so once I'm done I'm going home to shower and sleep.

Being lonely is something that Chloe has learned to deal with over the years. Walking out on everyone she knew was a bad move and since then she hasn't been able to establish any real solid friendships even though she has tried. Medical school was highly competitive and even though she made a few friends that she keeps in contact with, it was nothing like what she had at Barden with the Bellas or with Beca and Aubrey.

And if friendships during medical school were hard, well then romantic relationships where even harder. The only positive that came out of starting at a new school with all new people was that it allowed her to be open and honest with who she was and her lifestyle. People didn't judge her for being gay, but she did find it easier to date people who had nothing to do medicine.

Despite being out and open with her lifestyle, Chloe still found it hard to put her all into a romantic relationship when Beca still owned her heart. She definitely tried, she became a serial dater, but when it came to point where she had to let herself fall in love, she always chose to end. Except Chloe thought she'd found her best chance at love and happiness when she met a wedding photographer named Jennifer Conway at a coworker's birthday party.

They'd met when Chloe was halfway through her residency program and had dated for almost two years and had even moved in together. Jennifer had been Chloe's first real long term and serious girlfriend, but most importantly Jennifer was different from all the other people she had dated and she was different from Beca. Jennifer was reserved and a little soft-spoken, but she was driven, talented, and a bit of a hopeless romantic, but most importantly she treated Chloe like she was her top priority. Jennifer was a one hundred percent safe bet, somebody who would have been devoted to Chloe until the end of time had Chloe allowed it.

Chloe thought she had been in love with Jennifer and in some aspects, she probably was, but the afternoon she was faced with making that final commitment she just couldn't say yes. Turning down a proposal, like a really sweet and thoughtfully planned out proposal at this beautiful old lighthouse off the coast Maine, had been one of the hardest things she's ever done. After hesitating with her answer, Jennifer had immediately stood, with heartbreak etched across her face, mumbling how she was 'hoping for a yes but got what she expected' as she put the engagement ring away.

After that Jennifer had really tried to salvage their relationship and continue to be an amazing girlfriend, but eventually she just gave up when she realized Chloe's heart wasn't in it. Their date nights stopped, Jennifer's romantic side completely disappeared, their sex life fizzled out, and Jennifer even moved out of their bedroom to sleep in the guest room. In the end they were just two roommates passing each other on their way to work until Chloe came home late one Friday night shift to find a bare and empty apartment. Like empty in that Jennifer had moved out everything she owned and only left behind the few things Chloe had while living in residency housing. Which pretty much equated to bedroom furniture, a desk, TV, and some kitchen stuff.

Then to make things worse Chloe found a three page letter detailing exactly how Chloe had broken her girlfriend's heart, including how she constantly felt like she was being compared to someone else. Jennifer had been right because there wasn't a single day that Chloe didn't think of Beca or imagine that it was Beca she was saying 'I love you' to.

That relationship ended a little over a year ago and since then Chloe hasn't really dated. She's had on a handful of one night stands to fill the void, but even those have been few and far between.

Beca [12:01AM]: So come do that stuff here.

That ding made Chloe jump and inadvertently knock her half-filled coffee cup to the floor.

"Fuck," Chloe cursed under her breath as she immediately stood. Setting her phone down, she brushed the coffee off her coat and shirt as she surveyed the mess, "God damn it."

Thankfully no coffee was on her laptop or any of the patient charts, but it was all over one side of the desk and dripping down to the floor. While her Barden Bellas coffee cup had rolled under a nearby crash cart.

Walking over, Chloe stooped down to pick up her cup and was relieved to see it was still in one piece. That mug and her favorite yellow cup back at home had been with her through countless exams, all of her medical boards, her residency program, and every day since. It was safe to say that coffee cup was one of her lucky charms.

Just as Chloe was moving her chair away from the desk so she could clean the mess, her phone dinged again.

"Beca is very persistent tonight," Chloe laughed as she leaned over her chair to tap the screen so she could briefly read the text.

Beca [12:03AM]: I'll make you food or coffee or both. I'd offer beer but I'm out. I have wine though…

"I could so use a beer right now," Chloe grumbled.

"Everything ok Dr. Beale?" Chloe jumped. Turning she found Sarah standing with a roll of paper towels in her hands. Holding them out, Sarah grinned, "I thought you could probably use these."

"Thanks, you're a lifesaver," Chloe gave a grateful smile accepting the paper towels. "I'm running on like five hours of sleep. So, my fine motor skills are suffering." Surveying the floor, she frowned. "I'm sorry I'm making a mess."

Sarah just shrugged off the apology, "You're not the first doctor I've cleaned up after and you won't be the last…" She laid a couple sheets of paper towels down on the desk to soak up the spilled coffee. "At least you help and are friendly."

"Well I'm not a surgeon, they tend to be assholes sometimes…"

"Sometimes?" Sarah asked in mock shock making them both laugh. "See I knew I liked you."

Now it was Chloe's turn to shrug, "Eh that's still up for debate…"

"I do, I promise," Sarah crossed her heart.

"Well we'll see about that." Chloe jokingly shot back as she used her foot to move the paper towels around to clean the floor. "Let me know if I'm still as awesome as you think I'm am after you've been my nurse during surgery. I can be _very_ ," she stressed in a very stern yet playful tone, "demanding."

Sarah pulled a trashcan closer, "I doubt that, I've seen you with kids and you're awesome. Plus, the other doctors speak highly of you. I don't think I have anything to worry about."

Chloe's phone dinged again and as she reached across the desk to snag it after watching Sarah casually look down at it.

Beca [12:05AM]: I know you're hungry, you told me once you don't eat much while you're on-call.

"Sorry, I should have silenced this thing earlier," Chloe said as she quickly read over the message.

Beca was right, she was starving and Chloe knows the faster she gets her paperwork done the sooner she could hit up that Chinese place on the way home that was open until two.

"That's ok, I won't tell anyone," Sarah easily answered as Chloe slid her phone in her pocket.

The two quickly worked to clean the mess and just as Sarah was pushing the trashcan back to its place two rapid fire texts came through.

Dropping back down into her chair, Chloe unlocked her phone with a sigh.

Beca [12:07AM]: I also have a shower and a guest room for you to crash in…or you can share my bed…

Beca [12:07AM]: Just…

Beca was being very persistent in her attempts to persuade Chloe to come over and Chloe felt her resolve slowly crumbling. She just can't say no to Beca, she never has been able to.

"Oh, late night texts," Sarah playfully stated as she reached for Chloe's coffee cup. "We all know what that means."

Chloe lifted her eyes from the screen and Sarah instantly looked like she regretted having insinuated that the texts were flirtatious. In a perfect world, one where she and Beca were _actually_ together, then yes that would be exactly the case, because she envisions Beca being that kind of girlfriend. They'd probably also have this really romantic and flirtatious relationship that is filled with so much love and happiness that it would make other people sick. But that was in a perfect world and sadly that wasn't the world she was currently living in.

Chloe didn't want to be an asshole, but she didn't really know Sarah well enough to delve into her personal life. Nurses were notorious for gossiping and she hadn't worked here long to know if Sarah was one of the few she could trust.

"I'm sorry Dr. Beale," Sarah backtracked in an apologetic tone. "I just…" she slumped her shoulders, "I don't see a wedding band or an engagement ring so I just assumed that whoever messages this late at night has to be someone special to you."

"It's ok, this," waving her phone Chloe fought the urge to tell Sarah exactly how special Beca Mitchell was to her, "is just an old friend and our friendship is extremely complicated right now."

"Want more that coffee?" Sarah quickly changed the subject.

"Please," another ding sounded and Chloe sighed, "with two sugars."

Beca [12:09AM]: Just come over, this will be a good time for us to talk.

"Can I bring you anything else?"

"Coffee is plenty," Chloe answered as she sent a half assed response to Beca.

Chloe [12:10AM]: ?

"I'll be back in a jiff…"

"Thank you…"

As Chloe watched Sarah turn to leave she knows she shouldn't have been so vague and rude in her last text to Beca. Beca deserved a better response than a simple question mark and knowing Beca, she was probably gearing up to lay into her.

Alone with her thoughts as she waited for Beca's answer, Chloe thought back on the time she has spent with Beca these last few months. Mainly it drifted to how it took her close to two months pick up on the fact that Beca was gay. Beca never outright told her, but Beca also hadn't tried to keep it a secret either. Beca was just so casually open and didn't make a big deal about it and one day at lunch it kind of just hit Chloe. After that it was like Chloe was seeing Beca in a whole new light.

Chloe will admit the way Beca carries herself now as opposed to back in college is a big time turn on, like it's the type of turn on that makes her weak in the knees. Beca is incredibly sexy in how mature and confident she is in herself and how she doesn't feel the need to justify anything to anyone. Beca is just who she is and if people didn't like it, then those aren't the type of people Beca wants in her life.

In some aspects Chloe wishes she could be that free and have that strong of an outlook on her own life and be as open as Beca. She used to be like that and she misses that aspect of herself. Yet she also knows that Beca is _exactly_ the type of woman she needs to be in a relationship with in order to bring back that fun loving aspect of her personality that she misses so much.

Weirdly enough it wasn't until that day at brunch that everything came full circle. Coincidentally, that was also the day Chloe's jealous streak reared its ugly head as she watched Beca openly flirt for the first time. It was strange seeing Beca act so unlike Beca because back in college, Beca had never been the pursuer she had always been pursued. So, watching Beca flirt with the waitress and openly check the other woman out had been a surprising turn of events that Chloe had not been at all prepared for.

Things started out simple with the waitress making some mundane comment about Beca's arm sleeve tattoo, which was also the first time Chloe had seen the entire thing. From there the conversation and the flirtatious comments progressed each time the waitress approached them and Beca's body language showed someone who was completely open to and accepting of that kind of attention.

Towards the end of the meal, Chloe actually caught Beca looking down the waitress's lowcut top as she cleared their empty dishes _then_ tilt her head to openly check out the other woman's ass as she walked away. Then to top it off, Chloe watched the waitress stop Beca near the bar as Beca was returning from the bathroom to scribble something down on a cocktail napkin as they chatted. Chloe's heart had pounded with jealously watching the waitress casually deposit the cocktail napkin in Beca's front jean pocket after lingering way, _way_ , too long on Beca's belt buckle and stomach. Beca seemed to take the obvious ways the other woman was throwing herself at her with stride as she leaned forward to whisper something that had the waitress blushing and giggling like a teenager. Chloe is fairly confident that if Beca had offered sex in the bathroom, the waitress wouldn't have hesitated one bit to accept.

Except as surprising and interesting it was watching the whole interaction, Chloe just sat there completely jealous wishing it was _her_ on the receiving end of Beca's advances. She desperately wanted to flirt with Beca like that and to have Beca flirt back. She wanted her fingers to trace Beca's arm tattoo and linger too long on Beca's belt. Hell, she wanted to be the one to have sex with Beca in the bathroom had it been offered.

So, Chloe figures between the alcohol in her system, the fact that she was always, _always_ , undeniably attracted to Beca, and that she was _uber_ jealous of the waitress, she just couldn't stop herself from kissing Beca while they were in the pool. And if Beca freaked out afterwards she planned on apologizing and blaming everything on the alcohol. The thing she didn't anticipate was how that one kiss would lead to multiple kisses and her being intimately pressed up against the side of the pool by Beca and being kissed like she's never been kissed before.

Chloe knows she should have stopped it there. She knows she shouldn't have allowed Beca to lead her inside and she knows she shouldn't have taken off her clothes and she _definitely_ knows she shouldn't have allowed herself to be laid down _on_ Beca's bed and made love too _by_ Beca, but despite her better judgement Chloe allowed all of that to happen. For the first time in years she allowed herself to feel everything as she freely slept with her onetime best friend and it had lived up to every expectation imaginable.

The phone dinged in Chloe's hands and she focused down on it.

Beca [12:12AM]: Dude don't give me that, you know why…but in case you forgot I'll spell it out for you, we had sex all and then you fucking ditched me…we're not twenty anymore and this isn't college, we need to talk about this.

It wasn't just the fact that they had sex that they need to talk about, they need to talk about a lot of things. For the most part Chloe has purposely kept herself very closed off during all of their conversations in this very weird and formal way that she knows Beca senses.

It is just so hard, almost painful, not being that person Chloe was back in college when she is around Beca, but she needed to keep her feelings in check. She never realized until brunch just how fucking weird it was to hold back kissing a cheek when Beca is being super cute or how odd it was questioning whether or not she should even give Beca a hug. So, with the help of endless mimosas and a major jealous streak, Chloe snapped out of that funk. And for the first time since being reunited with the love of her life, Chloe let her guard down.

Chloe just never realized that after she had the best sex of her life, that nothing would get talked about. Granted after the first time, she wasn't exactly ready to talk and for a long time they just shared lingering kisses and allowed her hands to roam. And she loved how Beca's skin responded to her touches and how smooth it was, but she really loved how it twitched when she hit sensitive spots. She enjoyed learning Beca's body with no help or guidance, and she _definitely_ enjoyed how her touches led to that second time.

It was after shifting off of Beca and cuddling up together that Chloe found herself waiting for Beca to say something. Instead of words, it was Beca's _silence_ that spoke volumes. Then when Beca got up to shower and could barely look her in the eyes, Chloe knew that Beca didn't have any intention of things going beyond just a typical one night stand. So, Chloe bolted.

Beca [12:13PM]: Did you just use me? If so not cool, not fucking cool…

Beca [12:14AM]: It feels like you're attempting to drop out of my life again, but before you do that, at least hear what I have to say first…

Taking in a shuddering breath, Chloe felt her eyes fill with tears. The thing she feared the most was about to happen, Beca was going to tell her what happened between them was just a drunken accident and that she just wants them to stay friends. And honestly, Chloe gets it, she really does, because she's just this lonely doctor with not a lot to offer anyone and Beca's hot and extremely successful. So, it's obvious she's _not_ Beca's type.

Chloe tried to compose a text that said something like 'I know what you're going to say' or 'yeah I agree it was a mistake' to fend off the pending rejection, but her shaky fingers weren't cooperating. Ultimately, she just gave up and deleted everything, before shoving the phone in her pocket and wiping away tears.

Standing, Chloe knew she needed to compose herself, maybe wash her face, because the last thing she wanted was for Sarah to see her crying.

Just as Chloe was stepping around the doctor's station the recovery room door opened and Sarah entered carrying their coffee cups.

Straightening her posture, Chloe put on a fake warm smile, "That was quick."

"I ended up just going to the nurses lounge next to OR four," Sarah held out the Barden Bella mug and Chloe quickly accepted it. "Usually the night shift keeps the good stuff stashed away in there."

"Oh awesome," lifting the mug, Chloe took a small sip, "thank you."

"No problem…"

"So, I'm going to take a small break," Chloe confessed through a yawn which she thinks Sarah buys. "I'll be back in fifteen."

Sipping her coffee, Chloe watched Sarah nod and suspiciously look at her. Walking backwards towards the door, Chloe fought the urge to breakdown.

"Is everything ok, Dr. Beale?"

"I just need a quick break…" Chloe took another shaky sip of coffee to cover up her wobbly voice. "My pager number is next to my name on the whiteboard or I'm in on-call room D."

Setting her cup down, Sarah softly said, "Technically you could go home, there are other doctors on-call now."

"I know…"

With a final nod, Chloe turned around and quickly moved out of the recovery room. Once out of Sarah's sight she made a beeline past the large set of double doors leading to the operating room wing and to a small door marked 'Hospital Personnel Only'. Swiping her ID badge, she waited for familiar beep then pushed herself through the door and walked the short distance to the small on-call room she'd been using all day.

Just as Chloe was locking the door behind her, her phone dinged from her pocket. Looking up at the ceiling she let out a soft groan as her eyes filled with tears again. She really didn't want to be having this conversation here, she wanted to be home so she could freely cry after reading whatever Beca had just sent.

Moving her backpack off the bed and onto a nearby chair, Chloe plopped down on the edge of her unmade bed and took another couple of sips of coffee. After placing the cup at her feet, she tiredly rubbed her face before reluctantly pulling her phone from her pocket.

What Chloe saw in the next text wasn't what she expected and it broke her even more because she was effectively breaking Beca.

Beca [12:17AM]: Sex with you meant something to me, it meant more than you know. And I was going to tell you what it meant but you bolted before I had a chance. You hurt me Chloe and you left me so fucking confused and now you won't even acknowledge it!

Beca has no idea what the hell is going on but it seems that maybe Beca doesn't entirely regret what happened between them. Yet that still doesn't mean Beca wants her the way that she wants Beca.

Rereading the text Chloe can feel how hurt and confused Beca is and Beca doesn't deserve it, Beca has never deserved any of this. For ten years Chloe has put Beca through hell and it's sad that it has taken Chloe this fucking long to realize it.

A tear fell onto her phone screen and Chloe harshly swiped it away as she scolded herself. She didn't get to cry about this.

As Chloe was typing out an apology, she suddenly stopped and quickly erased it because what she was trying to say was coming out all jumbled and incoherent. The words she needs to say, that she has needed to say for a long time, wouldn't be conveyed right over texts. She was going to have to say them face to face, there was no other way.

Beca [12:20AM]: Was the sex that bad? Was I a horrible kisser? Did you fake your orgasms?

Beca was effectively laying into her and Chloe deserved every bit of it and so much more.

Ten years ago, when Chloe walked away, she thought she was doing it to save herself, but it seems that she has effectively broken both of them. Life has a way of coming full circle and now Chloe has the face the aftermath of what she has created.

As Chloe began typing she decided that for once she was going to let her heart speak.

Chloe [12:23AM]: Nothing about that afternoon was bad and I didn't have to fake anything. You were incredible in so many ways, ways that I've wanted for so long, ways that I never expected. I was wrong for running out on you. I'm sorry for running, I'm sorry that I hurt you and I'm sorry that I wasn't there to hear what you had to say.

Their first kiss had been a surprise, but the next ones had been filled with so much pent up emotion that once Chloe started she didn't do anything to stop it. Beca was a pretty spectacular kisser, hell Beca had been spectacular in just about every single thing they did that afternoon.

Beca had been a very caring and competent lover and god just thinking about it gives Chloe goosebumps. There was a practiced ease and confidence in the way Beca had kissed her, touched her, and worked her body. There was something deeply rooted in the way they made love that afternoon. It felt like both of them were being overly cautious because neither of them wanted to fuck it up a perfect moment.

For the last month that afternoon has played out in Chloe's mind in vivid detail. She remembers how the bedsheets were scattered and rumpled and how their bodies had been damp from the pool water and sweat. She can still feel Beca's weight on top of her and how perfectly Beca seemed to fit between her legs. The way Beca's fingers curled while a thumb expertly worked her clit had been magical and she can still hear the 'not yet' Beca had whispered against the shell of her ear in this totally mischievous yet suggestive way as Beca prolonged her release. And she'll _never_ forget how Beca's face looked and how Beca's fingers felt as they gripped her hips while Chloe was on top working them up to this insane orgasm that left them both in complete shambles in each other's arms.

Being able to remember all of that and so much more was both a blessing and a curse. Except Chloe doesn't want to forget it because it was the first time she finally felt completely loved by someone.

Reaching for her coffee cup, Chloe took another long sip, hoping the caffeine would give her some kind of clarity and courage as she waited for Beca's response.

Beca [12:25AM]: A lot of things have confused me over the last ten years Chloe and the aftermath of sleeping with you has brought everything to a head and just made me feel worse. I was broken after you left…

Beca [12:26AM]: both times…

Clutching her cup in one hand, Chloe closed her eyes and let out a strangled sob. She knows her actions are unjustifiable and that she was selfish and that she has made so many asshole moves when it comes to Beca. She's done so much that she doesn't even know where to begin with an apology.

Chloe [12:27AM]: That was never my intent.

Not that Chloe is trying to defend her actions but she had been hoping that walking out on her feelings for Beca ten years ago that it would prevent this very scenario from happening. She just didn't anticipate bumping into Beca at a grocery store in LA at two in the morning.

All Chloe wanted that night after an emergency call was to run into the nearest grocery store, grab a few essentials, then head home to sleep. If only her regular grocery store had been open and if only she hadn't been craving Eggo Waffles and frozen pizza then she never would have bumped into Beca. Instead, fate bit her in the ass when she turned around and found the love of her life blinking at her while wearing that soft lopsided smile that _always_ made her stomach and heart do weird things.

Overall, Beca looked beautiful, more mature, yet still somehow maintained that trademark edginess with the dark eyeliner and tattoos. Beca's left arm had the burgundy hoodie sleeve pushed up to her elbow revealing an intricate sleeve tattoo of geometric shapes and colors that trailed down and under an extremely expensive looking watch. While the left hand holding the frozen Tombstone Pizza, Beca's favorite since high school, surprisingly didn't show any traces of a wedding band. The rest of Beca was casually cool wearing black skinny jeans and a white pair of Vans with matching burgundy laces. It was so simple, yet Chloe found the whole look drop dead sexy.

Except for the fact that Beca looked exhausted from a long night in the studio, Beca had looked amazing, like _so_ good. And if Chloe had any doubts about whether or not she would still be physically attracted to Beca after ten years, it only took ten seconds of seeing the woman to wash away those doubts.

Instead of just making a bit of small talk then politely excusing herself, Chloe found herself willingly wandering the grocery store for over an hour chatting awkwardly to Beca about what had happened in their lives the last ten year. Even through that meeting was weird, Chloe had immediately felt safe and calm in Beca's presence and for the first time in forever she felt like she was home.

That night Beca had unknowingly captivated Chloe in every way and she knew it wasn't going to be as easy to fight her feelings this time around, especially when confronted with this new and confident version of Beca Mitchell.

Beca [12:30AM]: I feel like I totally fucked up and did something really wrong, I just don't know what I did. If you're not going to come over, before you fade away and drop me again, can you at least tell me what I did wrong?

Beca [12:31AM]: I deserve to know that…

Chloe felt her heart shatter as she read those texts. For ten years Beca has probably thought she had done something wrong and has had to live with that every day. Leaving because Chloe was in love with Beca was supposed to save _Chloe_ from heartache, but it seemed to have had a drastically different effect on both of them. Then to make matter worse after they had sex, Chloe just ran off again with no warning.

Downing what was left of her coffee, Chloe knew she had to put her own feelings aside and think of Beca instead. She was going to go to Beca's tonight and confess everything and afterwards she will just pray that Beca lets her down gently.

Hastily gathering up her things, Chloe tossed them into her backpack then stripped her bed and tossed the sheets in the used linen basket by the door. She then removed her coat and replaced it with a light fleece jacket before checking the room one final time to make sure she had everything. Grabbing her backpack, she opened the door, quickly erased her name from the small whiteboard attached to it then dashed down the short hallway to the changing room.

Chloe's fingers fumbled with the combination lock on her locker and she had to stop twice and steady herself before she finally heard the familiar click. After stowing her coat, coffee cup, and stethoscope, she changed into her running shoes and grabbed her small toiletry kit so she could wash her face wash and brush her teeth. Giving herself a glance in the mirror after freshening up made her cringe. Despite her best efforts she still looked like absolute shit and was in desperate need of a shower, but it's going to have to wait because she needs to go to Beca's now or she'll never go.

A few minutes later Chloe pushed open the recovery room door and found Sarah standing at the case board, updating it with tomorrows tentative surgery start times.

"I'm taking off," Chloe said rounding the doctor's station to tidy her workspace. "Can you make sure these two charts…" she signed her name to the last couple of pages on each, "get to final review? This one is a bit more complicated," she lifted it up, "so, before I sign off I'd like to go over it one more time." She placed the cart on top of the growing stack, "Can you please make sure it gets put into my post-op chart box? I'll get to it first thing when I get back."

"Will do…" Capping the dry erase marker, Sarah stepped over and held out her hands as Chloe gathered the charts up and handed them over. "I'll take everything right now."

"Oh, and try…" Placing her backpack on the desktop, Chloe slid her laptop inside with shaky hands and rezipped it. Shouldering it, she grinned, "Try not to play to much solitaire tonight since we're slow."

Sarah equally grinned and laughed, "I've brought a book tonight."

"Something constructive, I like it." The both laughed. "I'll see you soon," Chloe moved towards the door and just as she got to it she flipped around. "Oh, and prepare yourself," she playfully pointed, "I see you're my nurse for that preemie heart surgery on Friday. So be ready."

Sarah gave a salute, "Get some rest Dr. Beale and I'll see you then."

Giving a final wave Chloe turned and stepped out of the recovery room. Once out of sight she moved down the hall towards a bank of elevators at a brisk, almost light jogging, pace. After pressing the down button, she fumbled for her phone and was just shooting off another text when the doors opened.

Chloe [12:49AM]: I'll come by, are there any Chinese places still open?

Pressing 'E' for the emergency department on the first floor, Chloe watched the numbers slowly drop and found herself willing them to move faster as she waited for a response from Beca. She was hoping Beca hadn't given up on her or fallen asleep, but it had been almost twenty minutes since their last exchange and there was a chance that one or both of those things happened.

Eventually, Chloe stepped out of the hospital and into the cool night air where she paused to take in a couple of deep breaths before practically running towards the parking garage and sprinting down a set of stairs to the staff level parking.

Just as Chloe was tossing her backpack in the backseat of her white Audi A7, one of the few real luxuries she has allowed herself since she still has a shit ton of student loans to pay off, she got a reply from Beca.

Beca [12:53AM]: I know a place. You still like that beef dish with the wide noodles and spicy veggies?

Chloe [12:54AM]: It's beef chow fun and yes, I still love that.

Getting in the driver's seat and closing the door, Chloe focused on her phone screen watching the bubble that indicated that Beca was replying.

Beca [12:55AM]: Cool I'll order now, should be here in 20-30 minutes. Get here whenever you're done, no rush. My address is 3001 Dona Nenita Pl, Studio City 91604, I'll leave the garage door open, you can park next to me if you want…

Chloe [12:55AM]: I'll bring beer…

Stepping on the brake, Chloe then hit the button to start the engine then programed the address into her cars navigation system.

Beca [12:57AM]: Thanks for coming…

Chloe [12:57AM]: yw…

Trying to calm herself, Chloe took in a couple of deep breaths before putting her car in reverse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Liked it, loved it or hated it? I want to know your thoughts, so drop me a review or shoot me a PM and let me know what you think.
> 
> Thank you guys for the reviews! It's been a long time since I've posted a fic and I was happy to see some of you guys still hanging with me! I appreciate every one so thank you for taking the time!
> 
> Until next time...


	3. The Argument

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't write too much here other than to say I'm so sorry for the delay in getting the next chapter out. I had to unexpectedly travel for work and have been preoccupied with that!
> 
> In any case, I decided to give you a supersized chapter to make up for my absence. I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: PP and it's characters still isn't mine and never will be, but everything else, including all mistakes, is!
> 
> Now on with the show...

* * *

Chloe slowed her white Audi A7 to a crawl as she turned onto the cul-de-sac that Beca lived on. Even though it was dark, she studied each house she passed trying to gain some kind of insight as to why Beca chose to live in a quiet suburb neighborhood. The street had massive eucalyptus trees lining each side and every home had a perfectly manicured lawn and a two car garage. It was what she always envisioned a 'white picket fence' neighborhood to look like, it was cute and quaint.

Over the years, Chloe always pictured Beca as a high-rise apartment living type of person, something full of amenities and twenty-four hour maintenance. Instead this wasn't any of that, this was a place where old homes had been remodeled to accommodate young professionals who could afford the million dollar price tag. The neighborhood was just far enough away from the hubbub of LA that all the noise and general chaos that comes with living in such a big city seemed far away. Somehow, Chloe knew this is exactly the type of place Beca always wanted to live.

As Chloe inched her car down the street she saw a beautifully illuminated picture perfect, dark grey house with bright white trim sitting at the end of the cul-de-sac. Seeing the house brightly lit up and with all the interior lights on, made her smile because something tells her that Beca's house was like this on a regular basis. Beca had always been a creature of habit preferring to work on mixes late at night when no one was awake to bother her.

The neighborhood and home were indicative that Beca was happy in her career and that she was damn good at it. Beca wasn't a household name, but she had a handful of top ten hits under her belt, numerous awards, including a couple of Grammy's and an Emmy, too many TV and radio commercials to count, and even a few TV show theme songs. Beca's talent was endless and nobody was prouder than Chloe.

Putting all the success aside, Chloe wonders if Beca is truly happy, because Chloe knows she isn't, she's actually pretty miserable. Her work is her life, she has very few friends and no social life, all of which is stark contrast to how her life used to be. Oh, and she is hopelessly in love her with her onetime best friend.

Rolling to a stop in the garage, Chloe put the car in park then switched off the engine and just sat staring down at the emblem on the steering wheel. She's holding onto a little bit of hope that tonight won't be a total disaster, but she's also preparing herself for heartbreak. Regardless of the outcome, she can't turn back now, she owes Beca an explanation and an apology and so much more.

Letting out a long sigh, Chloe flipped the sun visor down and wiped away what was left of her eyeliner and tucked a few strands of stray hair behind her ear. Eventually she gave up because clearly her attempts to make herself look somewhat presentable back at the hospital had been a lost cause. There was no way to coverup how tired she was and how desperately she needed a shower. Today had been a long day and itshowed.

Opening the car door, Chloe stepped out bringing along her phone and the six-pack of beer she'd picked up on the way here. She hesitated after locking her car because clearly telling her to park in the garage next to Beca's black BMW 5 Series meant she could use the door directly in front of her to enter the house. Except tonight she didn't feel like she had that the privilege of just walking in unannounced.

Opting to use the front door instead, Chloe began a slow trek towards it, but stopped just short of the front steps to turn and lookout over the neighborhood. She instantly fell in love with it, it was quiet and homey and honestly the best kind of neighborhood to raise a family in. She didn't feel out of place here like she has felt while living in LA. And despite only having been here twice, the neighborhood and the house felt like home.

Turning back to the house, Chloe bit back her fear and nervousness and continued up the steps and reached out to ring the doorbell.

Almost instantly there was the sound of distant barks that eventually made its way closer. A muffled discussion happened and she couldn't make out the dog's name but she did hear Beca mention 'treats', 'tummy rubs' and 'pool time' if the dog behaved and was a 'good boy' the rest of the night. The small interaction made her smile because she had no idea Beca was a dog person let alone owned a dog. This was a fun _and_ cute new fact that just added to Beca's appeal.

A few seconds later the deadbolt slide out of place and the door slowly opened.

"Lennon, stay," Chloe heard Beca's gentle voice say, making Chloe's eyes dart down as the door fully swung open. "Good boy."

A little black and white dog poked its head between Beca's ankles to peer up at Chloe with his tiny body wiggling in anticipation. He was bursting with excitement and seemed to be waiting for Beca to give the signal so he could bolt forward to say hello and get that promised tummy rub. Lennon was wearing a Beatles logoed dog collar and suddenly the name clicked, because of course Beca would have a dog named after a famous musician.

Shifting her eyes up and away from Lennon, Chloe watched Beca's cheeks dust a faint shade of pink as she clutched a bright yellow stuffed toy duck in her hands. Chloe found the nervousness adorable, just as adorable as the thousands of times she'd seen it before.

Breaking the awkward silence, Chloe cleared her throat, "H-hi."

"Hey…" Beca answered with a tiny wave.

An excited bark broke the tension making them both look down then back up and lightly laugh.

"So, this rude little asshole," stooping down, Beca scooped the little dog up in her arms with a smirk, "is Lennon, my four year old dog child. He was at the vet getting his teeth cleaned when…last…we were…" she stumbled for her words, "yeah he just wasn't here." Chloe gave a nod in acknowledgement. "Lennon say hi!"

In any other setting Chloe would have giggled at Beca's higher than normal tone and nervous rambling while talking to Lennon, but she didn't because she felt the exact same way. Instead, she opted to shift her attention down to the dog who now held his left front paw up, waiting on her to shake it.

Switching the six-pack of beer to her other hand, Chloe took the paw and said, "Well aren't you a cutie and so polite."

"Yeah don't let his cuteness fool you," Beca quipped setting Lennon back on the floor, "it's all just an act." Taking a step back, she opened the door a little wider and gestured for Chloe to come in. "He's cute now, but just wait until he steals your socks." That earned Beca the laugh she was looking for. "Not kidding, he likes to pull them off your feet and hide them just to get your attention."

"That's oddly cute," Chloe continued to laugh as she tentatively stepped over the threshold and into the house.

Closing the door softy behind them, Beca just shrugged, "We all have our quirks, that's just _one_ of his."

"He has more?"

"Yeah, he _loves_ to swim, sometimes I leave the back door open and he runs out and jumps in the pool just for the hell of it." Beca took the beer from Chloe's hands. "I had to install a heater in my pool because I can't keep him out of it, even when it's fucking cold out."

"Something tells me that's just the excuse you're using because you love to swim just as much as he does," Chloe slipped her light jacket off and hung it on the coat rack, then toed off her shoes next to the others near the door.

"Yeah, yeah…Come on Lennon, let's get you that treat," Beca tossed the yellow duck through the house towards the large set of sliding glass windows that overlooked her pool, sending Lennon chasing after it. "That toy," she whispered to Chloe as they stood shoulder to shoulder watching Lennon slide across the hardwood floors as he dove for the toy, "is his favorite thing in the whole world. He drags it everywhere and is weirdly attached to it. He actually guards the washer _and_ dryer when I toss it in the laundry."

At this, Chloe turned her head and was met with the same gentle grey-blue eyes and lopsided smile that makes her stomach erupt into butterflies. Fuck, why does Beca have to be so god damn charming with no effort at all.

"He's cute," Chloe stated, not breaking their gaze.

"Damn right he is…" Beca winked. After a few seconds she added, "He gets away with so much shit because he knows I bottle fed him as a puppy."

"So, he's in charge around here?" Chloe shot back and they both burst out laughing.

"Yeah pretty much…" Lightly bumping their shoulders, Beca grinned, "Come on dude, food got here just before you."

Beca had this uncanny way of easing the tension during any kind of situation. Things should be really awkward right now and Chloe knows it's still weird, but focusing on Lennon is helping to ease that underlying and unspoken tension they are tiptoeing around.

"Your place is beautiful Beca," Chloe said peering into a neatly decorated room just a few steps away from the front door. In anybody else's home this would be a formal living room, but not in Beca's. "It's absolutely gorgeous, I didn't get a chance to tell you before."

"Thanks, I ummm…" Beca scratched the back of her neck. "I built and stained all the shelving in here myself. It took me like three months." Chloe turned to look at her and she suddenly found the need to explain further. "I find it really relaxing working with my hands on something that's not music when I'm stressed. I also build Legos."

Fully stepping into the room, Chloe gazed around wearing a soft smile. Beca had turned a small formal living space into a chill music room with a large and comfy looking brown leather couch under the window and a matching arm chair in one corner on the opposite side of the room. Next to the chair was a record player and an expensive looking sound system setting on top on a glass table with a small dog bed tucked away underneath it. The walls on the other hand were flanked with rows and rows of wood shelves containing Beca's extensive record collection from floor to ceiling.

"There must be over a thousand records here," Chloe offhandedly commented as she stepped closer and allowed her fingers to skim across the albums and remove a random one. "Dark Side of the Moon, nice."

"It's actually twenty-eight hundred and seventy-five to be precise," Chloe's eyes flipped to Beca's over the top of the album and an eyebrow popped up, making her heart stop. "Not that I've counted or have a detailed catalog of everything that I own or anything."

Chloe grinned flipping the record over so she could read the back, "You were always very protective of your record collection back in college. So, it makes sense you'd catalog it the larger it got."

Beca chuckled, "I have to, otherwise I don't know what I have."

Chloe carefully sild the record back into place and Beca watched Chloe intently. Chloe looked worn out and exhausted, but she was still so beautiful, the most beautiful woman Beca had ever seen. Beca should be mad right now, she should be fuming and an all-around asshole to Chloe right now for how things were left last month and how used she felt, but staying mad at Chloe was never her strong suit. There's something ingrained in Beca's brain that doesn't allow her to stay mad at Chloe for any length of time. And like countless times before, Beca's resolve quickly crumbled the second she opened the front door and saw Chloe standing there.

Setting the beer down in the chair, Beca shuffled closer to Chloe, "Want to listen to anything over dinner? I've had the record player connected to the house sound system."

Chloe scanned the few shelves in front of her, "During med school, I really got into classical, it helped me concentrate while I studied." She also did it so she wouldn't listen to Beca's mixes on repeat. "Now, I listen to it after long days at work to relax. Do you have any of that?"

"Yeah, I do actually…" Beca wandered over to one of the corners and crouched down to a section along the bottom floor. Tiptoeing her fingers along the records she came to one in particular. "I found this a few months ago at an estate sale in an old Hollywood Hills home. I paid like two-hundred bucks for eighty records." Pulling the record from the bin, she stood. "There were tons of cool stuff in there, I made out like a bandit."

Beca held out one of the three Aaron Copland albums that she'd recently acquired, but hadn't listened to yet. She watched Chloe's blue eyes dart along the worn sleeve studying the front and then flip it over to do the same along the back.

Despite how messy things were right now, Beca would give just about anything to just step forward, cup Chloe's cheeks and give a soft and gentle kiss. She would make sure it conveyed all the love she had been holding onto for a decade and she would make sure that Chloe knew how much she desperately wanted more with her. But judging by how fast Chloe ran after everything, Beca had a gut feeling that Chloe just wasn't into her.

"I have others," Beca hiked a thumb over her shoulder, "if you don't like that one."

"I don't really know much about classical, but I trust you," Chloe held the album out.

With a nod, Beca took the album and quickly made her way over to the record player. She gently pulled the old record from the sleeve, inspected it for any scratches or dust, then set it on the turntable and pressed a couple buttons that made it start to spin. The arm moved into place and the normal crackling sounds started and soon soft music echoed throughout her home.

Turning her head to adjust the volume, Beca was surprised to find Chloe crouched over the record player right next to her, watching every move she made wearing a soft smile.

"What?"

"Nothing, I've just…" Chloe briefly bit her lip then released it along with a little bit of her resolve. "I forgot how careful you are with your records. I've really missed seeing that."

Beca swallowed thickly, "I'm like that with all the things I love."

"I know…"

They just held each other's gaze and Beca's heart was beating out of her chest due to how close Chloe was to her and how blue those eyes were. There was tension between them, no doubt, but not like an awkward or resentment type of tension like there should be. No this was _sexual_ tension, Beca was well aware of the difference, and it hung heavily around them. When Chloe's eyes drifted down to her lips then back up, Beca inched her head a little bit closer, but just slightly as she waited for a sign to tell her to pull away. Instead it seemed like maybe Chloe was leaning in closer too.

Without thinking, Beca ducked her head and closed the small gap between and connected their lips together ever so softly. It stunned her because of and how fast it happened, but also because of how right it felt. So, when a hand came up to rest gently on her cheek, she couldn't help but deepen it a little, but not so much that she came off as a horny asshole.

Kissing Chloe right now was a bad idea, correction it was a _horrible_ idea, but Beca just can't fight her attraction to Chloe and she can't fight how much of a rush it is to kiss Chloe. The minute Beca opened the door and saw the beauty that was Chloe Beale standing in front of her, she couldn't help but want to kiss Chloe again and feel that rush again. And the way Chloe kisses her makes her feel alive in a way that nobody else can, it makes her forget all the shit that happened between. Which is totally weird because they should be fighting right now, like she needs to be fucking mad at Chloe for leaving her and for using her and for treating her like shit, but she just can't.

Coming to her senses, Beca broke away and took a sizeable step back. Neither of them spoke, the only sound was the classical music coming from the nearby speakers.

"I'm s-sorry," Beca fumbled for her words between breaths. "I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have kissed you." A tiny bit of hurt crossed Chloe's features. "At least not like that…"

"It's ok…"

Heat rose in Chloe's cheeks as Beca watched Chloe try to mask the pain by turning away and looking at the American Music Award sitting on a shelf bookending a stack of records.

The awkward quiet was back again and honestly Beca didn't know what to do or what to say. The hurt etched on Chloe's face just now was the first sign of emotion that Beca had seen that kind of gave her hope. She'd always been _really_ good a reading Chloe and knowing when something was wrong and that one fleeting look told her a lot. It told her that maybe, _just maybe_ , Chloe might be into her and might want more than just friendship.

"How many of your awards are scattered around your house?" Chloe questioned as if nothing had happened.

"All of them," Beca reached out and brought the award to the edge of the shelf from where it had been pushed back, "they're kind of hidden like Easter eggs." If Chloe was going to act normal than she would too. "Sometimes I even surprise myself. Like holey shit, there's," she pointed across the room to a bottom shelf, "my Emmy."

"How many have you won?"

"I'm not exactly sure," Beca's eyes cautiously flicked to Chloe's, "but I'm sure the Wikipedia page that Stacie maintains about me lists them all."

Taking another step back, Chloe tried to laugh away her nervousness as she fought to not look at Beca's lips again because she could use another kiss like that. She wanted another kiss like that.

"And your Grammy's?" Chloe watched the love of her life shuffle around on her feet anxiously. "Where are they?"

"They're in my home studio, I don't like to hide those," at that Beca snapped her fingers, "I never gave you the tour, did I?

"Nope, we headed straight for the pool and then…" Chloe's voice trailed off at the end and they were both silent for a few seconds. "Well you know."

"Yeah, I know…" Beca tried not to sound as awkward as she felt, but at least Chloe acknowledged the elephant in the room. "Did you want a tour now or to eat or shower?"

That kiss just rocked Chloe's world and she was struggling with how to interpret it. It had been nice, _really_ nice, probably the most tender kiss she had ever had, and the way it happened made her stomach twist in excitement because maybe Beca does want something more with her. Yet Beca had also been the one to stop it then quickly apologize for letting it happen. So, there were definitely some mixed signals going on and Chloe had no idea what to do.

"Beca, I…" Chloe's arms fell to her sides as she gave a tired sigh, internally hating how she just can't come right out and say exactly how she felt. "I smell like a hospital, so a shower would be great," she eventually said, "if you don't mind."

"I don't…" Beca softly answered her hand reaching out to settle on Chloe's arm.

"I'll need to borrow shower stuff and some pajamas…" Chloe fought back a yawn. "If that's ok?"

Beca gave an easy smile, "I can arrange that."

"Thank you…" Chloe watched Beca's had fall away as Beca turned to snag the beer.

"So, you've got your pick of places to shower," Beca led them towards the kitchen. "There are two other bedrooms, each with their own bathrooms, through there," she pointed to an archway on the other side of the kitchen, "or there's the master bath," she pointed in the opposite direction to the small hallway near the living room. "The bathroom connected to my home studio is tiny and doesn't have a shower. So…"

Before Chloe gave an answer, she had wandered off into the living room to take in the large open floor plan concept. It looks like a wall had been removed that separated the kitchen and the dining room to enlarge the kitchen space. The kitchen was modern and bright with counterspace that accommodated a breakfast bar and matching island in the middle. Although there wasn't a formal dining area, just beyond the breakfast bar and next to a large set of windows sat a table that somehow fit perfectly in the space and allowed for a perfect flow right into the large living room.

The living room was huge, like three times the size of the kitchen and dining areas, and it was the thing Chloe remembers best from her last visit because the house centers around it. It was decorated in such a way that gave off a warm and inviting feel to. A huge flat screen tv was on one wall, but along the opposite side sat massive sets of sliding glass windows. Although the blinds were partially drawn and it was dark outside, she knows Beca's view of the pool and LA's rolling hills in the background is killer and must have been a major selling point.

Beca's home was everything that Chloe had ever dreamed of having and so much more, even down to the color schemes and furniture. It was insanely beautiful in _so_ many ways.

"This place was built in the sixties and remodeled right before I moved in," Beca curiously watched Chloe from the kitchen, as Chloe sidestepped around the edge of the couch to get a better look at a wall littered with pictures. "Those are all limited edition prints. I handpicked each one at random times over the last few years. I like how that wall keeps evolving."

Chloe let her eyes wander and she couldn't help but smile at some of the musical artists she saw. The pictures ranged in size, some in black and white and some in color, and there was everything from classic rock artists to rap. All the people or groups shown where highly influential and had a significant role in shaping music history and Beca's love of music.

"Let me guess…" Chloe turned and was met with a heart stopping smile that almost, _almost_ , caused her to forget what she was about to ask. Pointing to the large picture of a Johnny Cash mugshot, she grinned, "This picture was the first one you ever bought and is the centerpiece of everything."

"Oh, hell yeah," Beca equally grinned, "the man in black was a fucking badass so he should be front and center."

"I love it," Chloe said taking in the living room again and Lennon who was perched on one of the couches with his duck, "it's perfect, I seriously love your home. It's so _you_ ," she stressed as their eyes reconnected.

"Thanks…"

The house was pristine yet still had random things scattered around or hung on walls and tucked away on shelves that were just so eclectically Beca. It's funny, seeing the home through clear and sober eyes, Chloe knows for a fact that this is the type of home Beca Mitchell probably always wanted. Yet the place also has these little touches and other nuances that Chloe absolutely loves, like the open floor plan, lots of windows, and a pool.

"Can I use your shower?" Chloe tried to fight back a yawn as she watched Beca put the beer in the refrigerator. "That way you don't have to shuffle around a lot of toiletries and stuff."

Beca softly closed the refrigerator door, "Sure…Come on dude, let's show Chloe around."

Chloe followed Beca and Lennon, who brought his bright yellow duck along, down the short hallway that was right off the living room.

"In here," Beca stopped and opened a door and flipped on the light, "is my home studio."

Chloe peeked inside and saw all the expensive equipment with the knobs and the fancy dials and buttons. There was even an upright piano pushed up against one wall and a couple of guitars.

The room was a bit messier than the rest of the house, there was stacks of papers and music books scattered about, the whiteboard hanging on one of the walls had doodles all over it, and there were a couple of used coffee cups and half drank bottles of water sitting on top of the piano. It was a typical Beca Mitchell workspace and Chloe loved it.

"You can snoop if you want."

Chloe turned and found Beca smirking at her making her smile.

"Maybe later," Chloe nodded giving the room a final look.

Hanging a right, they entered the huge bedroom that Chloe knows all too well. Other than the pool and brief stint in the living room, this was the room she spent the most time in. It had been the place where she had learned exactly how good Beca's body felt pressed against hers, how eager Beca had been to explore her body, and how intense Beca's gaze had been as fingers worked her to one of the most amazing orgasms of her life.

Chloe silently followed Beca through the room and as they passed the bed she saw Beca's shoulders tense up. She had hurt Beca, she could physically see that, but the fact that Beca had kissed her and was being nice, gave her hope that maybe the conversation they were both gearing up for wouldn't be a knock down drag out fight. Although to be fair, Beca had every right to take it there.

Stepping into the bathroom, Chloe's eyes took in what was probably the nicest one she had ever seen. The shower was huge with floor to ceiling glass against this incredibly pretty dark grey tile and inviting looking showerhead. The tub was on the opposite side of the room and looked deep and inviting and just screamed relaxation. She loved it all, even the dual sinks and dark stained wood cabinets and linen closets.

"Much like the rest of your home," Chloe took it all in, "this is absolutely beautiful."

"Th-thanks," Beca's words came uneasily as blue eyes found hers again. "I'm proud of it and I'm not trying to be a showoff, I'm still a very simple person." She let out a small huff. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't want to be defined by my money."

Chloe gave a soft smile, "To me, you're not." For whatever reason Beca seemed a little surprised by that. "Your money is indicative of the talent I always knew you had."

"So, feel free to use whatever stuff you need…" Beca diverted the topic and her eyes as she reached over to a small dial on the wall next to the light switch. "You can turn the music volume up here," she played with the volume for a few seconds, "if you want…Do you need anything specific?"

"Moisturizer?"

"Oh, yeah," Chloe watched Beca open a door under one of the sinks and remove a bottle and set it on the counter. "And facewash is already in the shower."

"Beca…"

"Towels are here," Beca opened one of the linen closets and grabbed one. "Plenty of extras if you need them and…"

Placing the towel in Chloe's hands, Beca mind went blank when their fingers brushed together. First the kiss and now this simple innocent touch was making her stumble around like an awkward teenager. She needed to pull herself together otherwise she would never survive the night without doing something completely stupid.

"Soap and shampoo are where they should be," Beca tilted her head towards the shower, her eyes never leaving Chloe's, "and if you need, you know tampons or whatever, all that is in the cupboard next to the toilet."

Chloe's heart was beating out of her chest, because Beca's nervous rambling and light pink cheeks were so incredibly cute and something she'd missed seeing so much. Knowing Beca was just as nervous as she was didn't make this situation any easier, but it did make it more real.

"Hairbrush?" Chloe asked and Beca's hand shot out to slide open one of the top drawers under a sink. "How about a toothbrush?"

A second drawer was slid open and a freshly packaged toothbrush was fished out from the back and set on the countertop. Seconds later the cabinet behind one of the mirrors was opened and toothpaste and mouthwash were removed.

Chloe couldn't resist the lighthearted jab, "Seems like you keep stashes of spare toiletries for all the girls you sleep with."

"I don't sleep around," Beca shot right back in a short and blunt tone, "but you don't seem to care about that."

"That's not what I meant…"

"I don't care what you meant…" Beca quickly cut Chloe off and the other woman took a small step back. "Had I known you were going to run," she fought back the urge to yell, "or that you were just going to use me, I wouldn't have taken things as far I did." Chloe at least had enough guilt to look like she didn't know what to say. "I _don't_ ," she stressed, "do one night stands Chloe. That's not my style."

Chloe was taken back a little by the comments and angry tone behind them. She thought her comment would come off as playful but apparently it wasn't taken that way. She should have known better than to try and joke about that subject given how tense the situation was and how gingerly they had been stepping around it since she arrived.

"I deserved that," Chloe eventually said breaking the awkward silence, yet still holding Beca's gaze. "And I'm sorry."

"I never would have done what you did to me," Beca continued, "I've grown up and I don't play games with people's feelings."

Beca let out a long tense breath when it was obvious Chloe wasn't going to give any hint of emotion or say anything other than 'I'm sorry.' She regretted her harsh tone immediately after she let it out, but a small piece of her agrees that Chloe deserved it.

Rubbing the back of her neck, Beca tried to ease her growing tension, "I'm older now and I like to think I'm beyond the point of sleeping with someone just because I think they're hot."

Chloe clenched the towel in her hands, "You think I'm hot?"

Leaning back against the sink, Beca's fingers curved around the edge of the granite countertop and was quiet for a few seconds. Chloe didn't know how to read that look, it was effectively Beca's poker face.

"I'm going to be honest with you," Beca eventually said after a prolonged silence, "I think you're more than hot, I always have." Surprise swept across Chloe's face and she wasn't prepared for that. "You're beautiful in every aspect, well except for the recent part where you try to keep yourself a mystery to me." Chloe frowned. "You're smart and you're funny and if you haven't figured it out, you fucking mesmerize me. It's the whole reason I let you so easily back into my life." It was more than just that, but Beca couldn't find the exact words she wanted and it frustrated her. "You're a very selfless person and you care about people and you put their feelings before your own…And at one point you were like that with me…"

"Beca, I still care about you," Chloe quickly interjected, "I never stopped caring I just…" she was cut off.

"Chloe," Beca gave a half shrug diverting her eyes down to her bare feet, "in the ten years you've been gone I've dated people and should have married one of them." She shyly glanced up trying to gauge Chloe's reaction to that information, but she got nothing. "But I couldn't go through with looking at rings or even thinking about weddings because she wasn't you. She was _never_ you."

"Yeah same."

Beca couldn't look away, "You're the standard I judge everyone against and no one _ever_ compares to you. I can't allow myself to love someone else because I can't move on from you."

"Bec…"

Beca's heart fluttered at her old nickname, the one Chloe purposely hadn't used a single time since they'd been back together.

"But in short, to answer your question, yes I think you're hot. You've always been the hottest girl I've ever seen," feeling a deep blush creep up her cheeks Beca let out a breath. "But now even more so that you've got your shit together and have this," she waved a hand in Chloe's direction as she tried to find the words, "maturity or whatever you want to call it, I just can't handle my attraction to you. I want you now more than ever."

"Is that why you kissed me earlier?"

Resting her hand back on the countertop Beca silently nodded.

"Please don't regret that because I don't." Chloe quietly began as she sat down on the edge of the bathtub. "I was just surprised by it and you backtracked so fast I felt like I couldn't say anything. I liked that kiss, more than liked it…"

"So, hearing that…" drumming her fingers Beca intently stared at Chloe, "I hate to have to ask this, but I really need to know, before this conversation goes any further," Chloe nodded, "are you even gay or am I just some kind of easy experiment to see if you are?"

When the question was met with silence, Beca's eyebrow popped up in that really annoying way that said Chloe better answer truthfully or else they weren't moving on. Beca was so good at silent demands and nine times out of ten, just like now, they always worked to crumble Chloe's resolve. But the funny thing was she was just as good at doing the same to Beca. Their ability to read each other was a key point in their friendship and it was probably another reason why the sex had been so great.

"Yeah I am and I knew it back at Barden," Chloe said breaking the uncomfortable silence. "I just wasn't comfortable telling anyone." Beca started to speak, but she jumped in. "I had my reasons for not saying anything, trust me."

"But you were my best friend," Beca said and Chloe felt the pain in the words. "I was in a similar place and I was planning on coming out to you first and telling you everything," the hurt was extremely evident in Beca's voice and Chloe had no idea what to say, "but you ran after worlds." Beca's voice was getting angrier. "Right after I came to terms with everything. Right after I broke it off with Jesse."

"I'm so sorry Bec…"

"I've never been able to get over you leaving me…" Beca fought the urge to just lay into Chloe like she'd planned, but refrained. "So," pausing she chose her next words carefully, "do you regret what happened between us?"

Looking right into Beca's eyes, Chloe answered honestly, "No, I don't…do you?"

Beca found the hesitation in Chloe's voice a little weird, "No, I…it was actually pretty amazing."

Setting the towel aside, Chloe knew she better start talking or risk losing all the courage she'd worked up earlier in the hospital and the drive here.

"I've wanted you like that for a long time, as long as I can remember…" Chloe's eyes found Beca's again. "All I've ever wanted is you…"

"Then why did you walk out of my life, Chloe?"

Beca's voice was so full of hurt and confusion and was so fragile that it made Chloe feel like anything she said next would shatter Beca into a million pieces. All this time she thought cutting Beca out of her life would be the best thing for her, but it seems to have done so much more damage to both their lives than Chloe ever anticipated. They were two broken people and if Chloe had to guess, Beca is far worse off in this situation than she ever will be. Beca wasn't happy with her life, Beca wasn't happy at all. And that's the thing Chloe had been trying to prevent.

"I…that's a complicated answer. I don't have a short answer for that." Breaking their gaze, Chloe looked to her left as she ran fingers through her hair. "I mean there's a simple answer, I just," her eyes drifted back over to Beca and she felt herself curling back into a ball of fear, "I don't know which version you want to hear."

"I mean at this point, I'll take anything." Beca crossed her arms over her chest in an attempt to stop her nervous fidgeting. "I just need something Chlo… _anything_ …"

Chloe's bottom lip trembled and it was quickly chewed on to stop it. The action made Beca want to stride over there and kiss Chloe, to kiss the pain away. Not getting an answer, her anger flared.

"I've spent ten years wondering what I did wrong…" Beca carefully began, "We didn't fight, we didn't…Fuck Chloe, you didn't even say goodbye. You just fucking dropped me!"

Without thinking Beca balled her hand into a fist and punched the glass shower wall hard. Thankfully the glass didn't break, but the hit echoed around them and the knuckles on her right hand screamed in pain.

"Fuck!" Beca tried to shake out her hand to relieve the pain, but it was useless, "god damn it!"

In a second, Chloe was up and reaching for the hand, but Beca pulled back.

"Give your hand…"

"I'm fine…"

Chloe gently said, "You're not. Now please give me your hand and let me look at it."

Beca reluctantly held her hand out, "Is it broken?"

Beca watched Chloe's carefully examine each finger, bending each one slightly, then ran a thumb over her red knuckles then flipped it over to check out the other side.

"I don't think so, but you'll probably have a nasty bruise," Chloe gave the fingers another once over. "You need to ice it though."

"Why did you leave me?" Chloe looked up at her and Beca felt her resolve crumble. "I've been so hurt and confused. It feels like you broke up with me, yet we weren't even dating." She pinched the bridge of her nose and took in a couple deep steadying breaths. "What the fuck did I do wrong?"

Seeing Beca pinch her nose like that made Chloe feel even worse. Beca only did that to hold back tears, it was Beca's way of trying to keep her emotions in check, and Chloe knows a hurt hand isn't why Beca is about to cry.

"Beca, I'm…" Chloe's stomach growled in hunger and their eyes shot to each other's. "Sorry."

Pulling her hand away, Beca motioned towards the shower, "I'll leave you to it and go ice this."

"Yeah ok," Chloe stood there lightly frowning. "Can you leave me out some pajamas?"

Beca nodded as she pulled out a folded robe from the linen closet.

"This is clean, I just washed it today." Beca stated fluffing it out and hanging it on a hook by the shower. "You can use it if you want."

It was sweet how Beca was still trying to take care of Chloe despite how things were so uncomfortable right now. Beca was a very caring and sensitive person and that was something Chloe had almost forgotten.

"I umm, thank you." Chloe quickly tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Thank you for everything."

Beca gave a head nod and a slight soft smile as she massaged her hand before turning to leave.

"Oh, and one other thing," reaching out, Chloe lightly snagged Beca's arm preventing the other girl from getting too far away. "I want to, ummm say…" taking a tentative step closer, she closed some of the distance between them, "I know my words and my actions mean nothing and I really don't know how you can even stand the sight of me right now, but I'm so sorry for everything." Beca's throat bobbed. "But what I'm most sorry for is how I've treated you in _every_ instance and I do want to make this right between us, if you'll let me."

Flexing the fingers of her aching hand, Beca sighed, "What did I do wrong? That's what I want to know…I go to sleep every night wondering what the hell I did, I worry about it," she paused looking down, "I worry about you."

The body language Chloe saw was of someone who was cautious and timid and scared to reveal how truly hurt they were. It was the exact opposite of who Beca was now, but it was a clear indication of the sadness and pain Chloe had caused. Chloe can't believe she did this to the love of her life.

"Nothing, you did absolutely nothing wrong," Chloe quietly spoke in a reassuring tone. "I shouldn't have run last month, I shouldn't have run ever. I should've told you what was going on and just dealt with the consequences…When I saw you in the grocery store, I…" she fought to not mentally shutdown as Beca's eyes connected with hers again, "I didn't know what to do, I tried to be standoffish, because like you," she chose to use Beca's exact words to convey her true feelings, "I don't know how to handle my attraction to you."

Beca let out the breath she'd been holding, "I noticed how you barely even smiled at me that night. It was so fucking weird. The Chloe I knew was always smiling and happy." She massaged her hand, thankful that the pain was subsiding somewhat. "It was almost like you didn't know what to do."

"Because I didn't, I never expected to see you again."

"I…"

Regret flashed in Beca's eyes and Chloe felt guilty all over again, "No, don't apologize, you don't have anything to apologize for."

Turning her back to Chloe, Beca tried to gather her thoughts. Chloe remained silent, but at least Chloe was still there and they were talking. Beca assumes that's a good thing and a sign that they've matured somewhat.

"What made brunch different?" Beca asked Chloe's reflection in the mirror. "You were the Chloe I used to know that day."

"Honestly?" One of Beca's eyebrows popped up in annoyance, a clear indication that Chloe better start talking. "It was a combination of things that started with what you were wearing."

"What I was wearing?" Beca almost laughed. "But all I had on was a plain white V-neck t-shirt and jeans…" She held up her hands in defense when Chloe shot her a glare. "Sorry."

Chloe gestured towards Beca's arm, "Also your tattoo, I hadn't seen the whole thing before and you know I've always thought your tattoos were sexy." Beca turned to face her. "And before that day I thought it was just a wrist tattoo. So, when you took your jacket off and I saw it was a full sleeve, I couldn't help but think it was so fucking hot and I…"

"Chlo," Beca interrupted making Chloe's mouth snap shut, "you're rambling."

"Anyways, the waitress commented about it and she touched you," Chloe felt herself blush, "and you flirted with her in this totally passive way and I just…"

Beca actually smirked, "You got jealous?"

Chloe shrugged, "Well yes, especially after I saw her give you her number."

"Chlo," Beca lightly laughed knowing full well that Chloe had intently watched her interaction with the waitress, "I never wanted her number, I _never_ asked for it."

"But you looked really into her the whole time and I…" Chloe felt her jealously roaring to life again and she did her best to bite it back, "I watched her practically feel you up as she placed that napkin in your front pocket while you talked to her near the bathroom."

Beca just grinned, "Then you weren't watching close enough because I left that napkin in a used beer glass on a random table as I walked back to you."

"What?"

"Just so we're clear, I _never_ ," Beca made sure to stress, "wanted her. Also," crossing her arms across her chest she smirked again, "didn't you find it unusual how we never saw her again?"

Chloe paused as she tried to replay what happened after her jealously flared, but she didn't see anything because she had averted her eyes when Beca and the waitress parted ways. Now that she thinks about it, it was weird that they never saw that particular waitress again.

"What did you do?" Chloe all but rushed out. "She was putty in your hands."

"She was," Beca confirmed, "but that 'flirtatious laugh'," she used air quotes, "you witnessed from across the room was actually a nervous one. I've never been good at rejecting women, I usually make it awkward, but she backed way off after I told her _you_ were my girlfriend." Chloe's eyes went wide at that statement. "She profusely apologized for overstepping her bounds and being so forward in front of you."

"Oh my god, I'm so dumb," Chloe whispered to herself as she closed her eyes, "so fucking dumb." Opening them again, they connected with Beca's. "I was so jealous watching you two because _I_ ," she stressed, "wanted to be the person you flirted with, _I_ wanted your eyes to be on _me_ ," she harshly pointed at herself, "like that."

"My eyes have always been on you," Beca's statement was casual, almost factual, and it made Chloe's mouth hang open in surprise. "For ten years my eyes have been looking for you or anyone that reminded me of you. From the moment you walked back in my life they've been on you, _all_ of you. You just fail to notice."

They were quiet and if it weren't for the classical music quietly playing in the background they'd be able to hear a pin drop.

Beca just had to ask, "So did you use me for sex?"

"No, I swear I didn't, I swear."

"But you obviously let your guard down at brunch."

"I did."

Moving closer to the shower Chloe stopped in front of the door then flipped around, only to find Beca still studying her. She didn't know what to say because that last statement was true, she let all her inhibitions go that day and she was suffering the consequences tonight.

"The ways you looked at me that afternoon," Beca eventually began her heart racing, "was how I always wanted you to look at me." She watched Chloe chew on her bottom lip and it made her want to kiss Chloe again. "It was different than how people who are just friends look at each other, I thought I read your signals right, I thought it was ok to kiss you."

With a sigh, Chloe released her lip, "It was…"

"You seemed so happy I did it…" Beca confessed.

That afternoon was the first time in years that Chloe let her guard down and was just herself. She had missed the parts of herself that liked to have fun and laugh and be spontaneous and she loved how Beca is the one who brought it out of her. It was so easy to fall back into their old ways and she's actually glad that Beca was the one to make the first move.

"I was…" Chloe whispered. "You have no idea how happy I was."

Beca let out a slow breath, "So tell me."

This was the moment Chloe had been waiting for, she was just going to go for it and worry about how to deal with the fallout later.

"You seriously have no clue what you do to me?" Beca remained quiet, which wasn't surprising seeing as how Chloe wasn't actually looking for any kind of response to that. "From the moment I met you, I knew you were it for me. I've _always_ ," she made sure to stress, "had feelings for you and that's something I've kept guarded forever. You just light up my entire world and I want you in every way possible and back in college that scared me…"

Chloe held back her tears because it was strange to finally be telling everything she had kept hidden for so long.

"It scared me so much because I didn't know how to handle that and I was still in the process of accepting the fact that I was gay and you..." Chloe knew this was about to sound bad, "well you weren't."

"Weren't what?" Beca asked in confusion.

"Gay Beca," Chloe answered in slight annoyance, "you weren't gay. You were _very_ straight and had a boyfriend."

Beca frowned, "Oh…"

"Yeah, so I ran…" Chloe paced a couple of steps and she could feel Beca's eyes on her. "I ran and buried myself in the hardest fucking thing I could find so I could forget about you. But the funny thing is," stopping she turned back to Beca and sadly laughed more at herself and how pathetic she sounded than the actual situation, "in a roundabout way the hardest thing I could find led be straight back to you."

Beca's eyes went a little wide at that but she remained dead silent. Chloe didn't really know how to interpret it because _that_ was the kind of reaction she always feared she'd get from Beca, but she'd come this far and she wasn't about to stop now.

Wiping her tears away, Chloe pressed on, "I reached my breaking point at brunch and all those feelings I knew where there, but I kept trying so hard to push away, just came roaring back to life. So, I let my guard down in order to feel close to you again…I just wanted to harmlessly flirt like old times," Beca seemed to have gone from confusion to anger in a split second at that comment, "I didn't expect for you to respond by kissing me."

"So, if you tell me all that, then you conveniently tack on how you just wanted to 'flirt'," Beca used air quotes then dropped her hands back to her sides with a heavy smack, "at the end knowing flirting is _not_ how things ended, can you see how I might feel a little used?"

Chloe nodded, "Yes, completely."

"Why did you kiss me back if you just wanted to flirt?" Beca felt her anger rising. "Why did you let me lead you into my bedroom if you just wanted to flirt? And why for god's sake didn't you stop us from having sex if you just wanted to flirt?"

"I've already told you…"

"You tell me you've always had feelings for me then you say you just wanted to flirt." Beca's heart and mind were racing as she yelled, "What the fuck do you want from me, Chloe?"

"You, Beca," Chloe yelled right back at equal volume, "I've always wanted _you_. It's only ever been you. You're what I want."

"But what does that even mean?"

"It means that I've spent the last twelve years," Beca blinked surprisingly and took a half step back as Chloe raised her voice again, "that's right Beca I said _twelve years_ , being in love with you," she harshly pointed in Beca's direction, "and not knowing how to deal with it. I was so afraid of rejection from _you_ ," she pointed at Beca again, "that I ran. I tried to get away from everything that reminded me of you. Yet here I am," she knew her voice was breaking as she smacked her palm against the glass shower in frustration, "standing in front of _you_ telling _you_ that after all this time I'm still in love with _you_ and I'm still scared out of my fucking mind because I don't know how to deal with it."

"But what you did wasn't fair to me," Beca shouted.

"I know…" Chloe yelled right back.

"You never…" looking away, Beca tried to dampen her anger, but it was hard when she was so fucking confused. "You never gave me a say in this," she quieted her tone, "you just completely cut me off." The quiet tone didn't last and she yelled, "My entire world crashed when you walked away!"

Chloe slumped against the shower glass door, "I know."

Those were the only two words Chloe had at this point because nothing she could say would make up for the years of hurt she put Beca through. Beca was angry and rightly so because this whole situation was all Chloe's fault.

"You never…" Beca closed her eyes and took in a couple of slow breaths to help herself calm down.

A few seconds later Beca opened them again and she found a beaten down Chloe Beale standing in front of her. Chloe's newfound determination and confidence were gone, instead she looked scared and sad and about ready to run. It looked like it had taken everything out of Chloe to open up like that. However, it didn't stop Beca from saying how she really felt now that she knew everything. To say what Chloe did wasn't fair was an understatement.

"Chlo, I've been miserable for ten fucking years thinking I did something wrong. I've spent the last ten fucking years being in love with you and thinking that you figured that out and _that_ ," Beca angerly stressed, her tone making Chloe wince, "was the whole reason you dropped me. Do you realize how guilty I've felt?"

Chloe just nodded and usually when Chloe looks like she's going to cry Beca caves, but this time she wasn't going to allow that to happen.

Steeling her nerves, Beca continued, "When I was in the hospital all I could think about was you and how fucked up our whole situation was and how I caused it. But mainly how I wanted to fix it." She raked her fingers through her hair not caring that her hand ached. "I called, you never answered. I texted, you never answered…"

They stared at each other and Beca knew just by the look Chloe was wearing that Chloe had purposely dodged every single one of those calls.

"I did that every morning and every night for the entire three fucking weeks I was in the hospital because I wanted to make things right between us."

"I just couldn't answer," Chloe felt a tear slip down her cheek and she harshly swiped it away. "I was so in love with you that even seeing your name flash across my screen hurt."

Beca crossed her arms over her chest, "And you don't think being ghosted by the person I loved the most didn't hurt?" Dead silence was the most painful part. "Just so you know, the flu sent me to the hospital, pneumonia kept me there, and asthma killed my singing career, but _you_ ," she angrily spat, "broke my heart and I've never recovered from that."

That last little jab hurt Chloe the most and her whole world crashed.

"Where you ever worried about me while I was in the hospital?" Beca weakly asked.

"I never knew," Beca looked torn by Chloe's answer, but it was the truth, "I swear, I was totally surprised when you told me."

Beca rubbed an eye with a heavy sigh, "Didn't you get Aubrey's massive group text?"

"I only skimmed that every few weeks, because I was busy with med school," Chloe swallowed thickly, knowing that wasn't a good excuse. "Eventually I stopped reading all together and muted the notifications so I wouldn't see your name."

"Jesus, it's not like we lived and died by our group text. We all have lives and jobs too," Beca defended knowing full well that there could be really long stretches of time where pings weren't lighting up her phone. "At least we all checked in once in while you," she harshly pointed, "checked out."

"I…" Chloe used the collar of her scrub shirt to wipe her nose. "I didn't mean to drop everyone."

"But you did…We had a reunion two years ago and you were the only one missing."

"Chalk that up to another thing I'll regret for the rest of my life." Letting out a long breath Chloe somehow found the courage to ask, "How mad at me are they?"

"It's hard to say on any given day…" Beca's reply was honest and straightforward, "They hardly ever talk about you anymore, they don't care about you because they think you don't care about them." Chloe looked crushed by that revelation. "But genuinely it's just me and Aubrey that openly discuss you."

"You're pretty good friends with her, aren't you?" Chloe asked.

Chloe doesn't know why she asked, but she did because she has a sneaking suspicion that those two were closer than what Beca lets on.

"Yeah," Beca dragged out as she massaged her hand, "she's my best friend actually. I needed someone to talk to after you left and so did she. We're an odd pair," they both lightly laughed, "but she's been a really good friend to me and we've been there when we needed each other the most."

Chloe was grateful that their anger seemed to be subsiding, "I swear she had no clue what was going on."

"I know…"

"Is Aubrey happy?" Chloe asked with her eyes trained on her feet.

"She is, she's really happy…She's married," Beca quietly said making blue eyes snap back to her, "to a really great guy. He's a math professor at Brown University and they have a one year old son named Samuel."

Chloe gave a warm smile, "She has kids? She always wanted to be a mom."

"Yeah, but it was really difficult," Beca didn't know how much information she wanted to give seeing as how Aubrey's first miscarriage was still a super sensitive subject, "Samuel is kind of a miracle baby. I'm the godmother regardless of what Fat Amy says."

They were quiet again and Chloe couldn't move her eyes from Beca's, it was like something was keeping their gaze locked. Beca's anger seemed to be settling somewhat and Chloe was glad. One thing was for certain, once Beca got things off her chest, she tended to be a little more reasonable and easier to talk to. Beca had her heated moments, but Chloe knew that when they happened around her they were usually short lived. It was part of the reason why when they argued that they were able to sort things out fairly quickly and continue on like nothing happened. However, she knows the makeup part in this scenario might take a little longer.

"Why medical school?" Beca asked out of the blue. "I mean other than because of me."

"You know my parents and I don't really get along," Beca just nodded, "and after graduation I was an even bigger disappointment to them when I told them I had no job and no clue what I was going to do with my life."

"I got that impression at Worlds," Beca interjected, "you almost didn't want to go home."

"I didn't, but my grandfather, who is a retired anesthesiologist, always said I'd find my path in life when I was meant too," tiredly pushing herself off the shower door Chloe rolled her shoulders trying to work out the tension. "Well I did, standing in the Denver airport bookstore." She still has those prep books she bought, they are a symbol of a defining moment in her life. "In that moment, medical school just seemed like the right thing for me, I couldn't picture myself doing anything else…Hell, even I was surprised that I actually got in."

Beca smiled, "Dude come on, you were super fucking smart, you just didn't let people know it."

"It's funny, at my med school graduation my parents were still indifferent and just went through the motions. I thought they'd be proud of me but they weren't," Chloe honestly wished they hadn't come at all because they kind of ruined a big moment in her life. "Thankfully though my grandfather was there and he was the proudest person in the room."

Beca shuffled around uneasily next to the sink.

"Why are you suddenly all fidgety and nervous?" Chloe intently studied Beca. "Now what did I say?"

"I was there," Beca cringed slightly a bit unsure about how that sounded.

"Where?"

"At your graduation…your med school graduation," Beca made sure to clarify and she watched Chloe's eyes go wide in surprise. "I just…" she rubbed the back of her neck, "I had to be there despite what was going on between us." She swallowed thickly. "So, when the time came I hopped on a plane and went."

Chloe was speechless, Beca had actually been at her graduation despite them not having spoken for _years_. If that didn't mean true love than she didn't know what would. There was no doubt in her mind now that Beca was meant for her.

"Before you ask," Beca spoke quickly, "I got there late and had to sit in the third to last row of the balcony, but I was there."

Chloe eyes filled with tears, "Beca, I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything," Beca easily reassured. "Your parents weren't proud of you, so what, because I was." She felt her face flush red. "You looked so beautiful and so accomplished walking across that stage in your black and green robes. It was like you finally had everything figured out."

"Beca…" Chloe's voice broke right along with her heart because the love of her life had been there just like she had wished. "Why did you do that?"

Even if that trip meant it would be the last time Beca ever saw Chloe, Beca was happy that she went and witnessed such an important step in Chloe's life.

"Because I couldn't live with myself if I didn't," Beca answered without hesitation. "I have pictures if you don't believe me."

Chloe wanted nothing more than to close the gap between them and kiss Beca. She didn't deserve someone as special as Beca, she never has and it has never been more evident than right now.

"Why didn't you come and find me?"

Beca let out a long breath, "What would you have said to me?"

Shrugging, Chloe didn't say anything because she knows she probably would have done everything in her power to get away.

"That's what I figured…" Beca said in a bitter tone. "You'd made it pretty clear that you didn't want anything to do with me. So rather than making things awkward in front of your family, I took a cue from you and bolted as soon as the ceremony was over."

Closing her eyes, Chloe tilted her head back and let out a strangled groan feeling her heart break in two.

Looking back over at Beca, Chloe said, "I'm such an asshole for making you feel that way."

"Yeah you are, but no matter how many times you hurt me, and you hurt me a lot," resting her hip against the sink, Beca sighed, "I just can't quit you."

"I can't quit you either…"

"Yeah well, that's pretty obvious considering the situation we're in right now," Beca answered, giving a small, but somehow hopeful smile.

"I'm glad you were there, you have no idea how much that means to me. So, thank you," they both shyly smiled at each other. "Medical school was what I needed to do. Once I figured that out, the rest of my life kind of fell into place."

"Yeah same…" Beca rubbed the back of her neck again, a nervous habit Chloe recognized right away. "Well, except for me it was getting stuck in a hospital for weeks and getting adult onset asthma or whatever it's called. That ruined my singing career, which," she held up her hand so Chloe wouldn't jump in like she knew she wanted too, "in the long run I'm happy with, because I absolutely love what I do now. I make music that I have complete control of and I'm living my dream. Being popular and a household name is never what I wanted."

Chloe sat back down on the edge of the bathtub, "You know, I thought medical school was hard, but…" Fighting back tears, she struggled to say how she felt. "But it turns out being in love with you and trying to live a normal life is harder."

"I can relate to that," Beca replied.

"Which part?"

Beca just lightly rolled her eyes, because in typical Chloe fashion, in the heat of the moment Chloe had only heard bits and pieces of the important things. Once tempers and emotions calmed down, they usually had to rehash certain things from their arguments to make sure they were on the same page. Chloe was such an emotional person and it was nice seeing that aspect hadn't changed.

"Chlo…" tiredly rubbing an eye Beca just went for it, "I _am_ still in love with you. I always have been, I thought I was clear about that. I didn't kiss you in the pool because I was drunk and wanted to get laid," she signed knowing that's probably how it looked, "I kissed you because I've always wanted to kiss you."

Beca watched Chloe's head snap up and a look of surprise wash over her face as she realized what was just said.

"But I think I'm still in love with the old Chloe," Beca shuffled around on her feet and Chloe's eyes flashed to them then back up. "I think the Chloe sitting in front of me is a totally different person."

"I am…"

Hearing hesitation, Beca quickly clarified, "It's not a bad different, it's really good different." Blue eyes just stared at her, waiting for an explanation. "I see a person who loves their job and is finally confident in every aspect of themselves. I wasn't expecting to see that, but I like it…I find it extremely attractive."

Resting her hands on the edge of the bathtub, Chloe bit her lip and raised her eyes to the ceiling. With everything being out in the open and Beca having _actual_ feelings for her and them actually talking, Chloe knew she better not hold anything back.

Releasing her lip, Chloe looked back at Beca and said, "I feel like I've lost myself though, like I miss how carefree and crazy I used to be. How can you find me attractive?"

Wearing a reassuring smile, Beca gave a quick nod, "You're still there, some things about you haven't changed and I see it even if you don't. I saw the old crazy Chloe that the day at brunch and when you jumped in my pool fully clothed then convinced me to do the same." Chloe snorted out a laugh making Beca grin. "So, your core personality is there and trust me, it hasn't changed. Life and work just gets in the way. We just need to work to get you back."

That pool incident will forever be something Beca will never forget because she swears she only turned her back for two seconds to grab a couple beers and the next thing she heard was a splash. She had flipped around just in time to see Chloe popping up from under the water wearing with a massive grin and in an instant Beca had fallen in love all over again.

Moving closer, Beca rested her shoulder against the glass shower wall, "For the first time in what felt like _forever_ , I questioned my sanity about something I was about to do. I missed how you could get me to do just about anything and I missed pretending like I wasn't ever going to do it."

Chloe lightly laughed. "One of my favorite things is hearing you say 'this is a bad idea'," she used air quotes, "right before you do it. You said it right before you jumped in the pool."

Shaking her head, Beca just laughed because swimming fully clothed was a bad idea, but it led to one of her best days ever and for that she's thankful. It will forever be one of her favorite memories, not because of the kissing or what that led to, but because of how truly happy she had felt for the first time in a long time and that it was all because of Chloe.

Being around Chloe always gave Beca a warm and happy felling, content even, and that day was no exception. It's weird to say this, but even though it's been ten years Chloe Beale is, and always will be, the center of her entire world.

"I've missed having someone pull me out of my comfort and only you can do it. Well besides Fat Amy," they both cringed, "but her spontaneity usually leads to me being injured in some way," Beca rubbed at the scar under her chin to emphasize her point. "But when she's not around, I lead a boring fucking life. Like Aubrey drags me to art museums and afternoon tea _for fun_ ," she deadpanned, "when she visits because apparently, I need culture and sophistication."

Chloe couldn't help but laugh picturing Aubrey trying to teach Beca about art and sophistication. She can easily picture the bickering that goes on between them as they wander an art museum and she imagines Beca feels so out of place at afternoon tea. Hell, Beca probably bitches about the size of the finger foods and how she's starving for hours afterwards.

"So, in short, I'm boring and a homebody…"

"You're not boring," Chloe easily answered. "I always loved hanging out with you, even if it just a quiet moment."

"I'm pretty lame though, I'm _so_ lame," Beca laughed, "I spend my days and well part of my nights making music, hanging out with my dog, and playing video games or cooking."

"You cook?" Chloe's interest peeked. "Beca, I burn water, Mitchell cooks?"

"Hey," Beca tried to defend but chuckled because she had been so bad at cooking in college, "I learned a lot of shit with YouTube and Google and I've gotten pretty good at it, even Aubrey compliments me. I made homemade spaghetti and meatballs for dinner tonight."

"Why didn't you tell me that? You know that's my favorite food ever."

"Because I would've agreed to anything just to get you here tonight."

"Oh…"

"My point is, I miss how you make my life exciting." Beca flexed her fingers on her hurt hand, "My life is incredibly boring without you."

Briefly closing her eyes, Chloe bitterly laughed, "If your life is boring, then I don't know what to classify mine as. Besides graduating med school, the most exciting thing to happen to me was when I turned down a proposal then was surprised when my girlfriend up and left me." Popping her eyes back open she saw Beca softly nod. "I always thought I'd travel the world and have this perfect life with someone I'm crazy about," Beca's face flushed slightly pink, "but as it turns out I'm a lonely and sad person, caused solely by my own doing."

"See had you stuck around I think we could have had that…" After a beat of silence Beca quietly added, "Well I'm still crazy about you. So, we can still have a perfect life together, we can still travel, and…" She swallowed thickly. "We can still have a lifetime of loving each other and have a family…if you're willing to give me a try."

"But how can you forgive me?" Chloe raked her fingers through her hair. "I'm such an awful and selfish person. I've already made more mistakes than I can count with you."

Beca pushed off the shower wall, "And that's ok, I'm not perfect in this scenario either. A lot of the decisions we made were because we were both young and stupid."

Fighting back another yawn, Chloe tried to push the tiredness out of her mind, "Being older doesn't make us smarter."

Beca sat on the edge of the bathtub next to Chloe, "I want you Chloe and I've missed you, isn't that enough…"

"I've missed you too," Chloe said, a tear sliding down her cheek.

Wiping away the tear with the pad of her thumb, Beca knew whatever she said next could make or break Chloe. Beca has a better understanding of why Chloe did what she did and to a certain extent it's hard to say that she wouldn't have acted in a similar way if their roles were reversed. So, Beca gets it, she gets the pain, and she gets what it's like to be in love and not know what to do, but most importantly she knows despite everything that she still wants everything with Chloe.

"I don't know how to function without you," Beca dried another one of Chloe's tears, "and believe me, I've tried." It was comical how she once thought she could ever truly live without Chloe. "I've missed everything about you and when we were lying in bed together after," she swallowed thickly suddenly shy about what had transpired, "well you know," Chloe just nodded, "the way you smiled at me and kissed me and touched me, made me feel like my life was _finally_ complete again…And I hadn't felt that way in years."

Chloe tiredly ran her fingers through her hair again, lightly massaging her scalp, contemplating what to say to that. She can't say that she didn't feel the same way because she did. Being in Beca's arms was probably the one thing in life she always wanted and it had felt just as good as she had imagined. It felt right and she felt complete, it's where she always belonged.

Chloe felt her face grow warm, "Even though I refused to accept it, I think deep down I knew you weren't just looking for a quick hookup that afternoon."

"I wasn't. If I really wanted that, truthfully I could go out and find someone myself."

"See, that's one of the things that surprised me the most about this," Chloe waved a hand nervously in Beca's direction, "new version of you. You have this new swagger that I've never seen before, it's like there's no question that you're confident in every aspect of who you are or what you want…"

"I am but that didn't come easily…but I can say, with confidence, I see the same things in you."

"I wish I saw myself the way you see me."

"Chloe, I like everything that I see, and despite the circumstances that happened between us, I want you. I have always wanted you…"

Tucking a loose strand of hair behind an ear, Chloe signed, "But you should hate me."

"I should, but I can't," Beca agreed with a sigh of her own. "I've never been good a being mad at you for very long. Do I think there's issues we need to work out? Sure, but I think we can work them out because we're finally being honest with each other and we're talking." Training her eyes on the floor, she gripped the edge of the tub. "I want you to give me a chance, because I'm in love with you, I always have been."

"No, Beca," Chloe turned slightly to look at the love of her life, "we're in love with the people we used to be," Beca looked over at her defeated, "not the people we are now."

Beca's eyes focused on Chloe's and they both refused to look away. Beca keeps wondering why Chloe is fighting this obvious pull towards each other they constantly have. Beca's tired of fighting it, she was tired of fighting it back in college, and she is more than tired trying to fight it now. Yes, they are two different people from what they were back in college, but that doesn't change the fact that Beca's heart just won't let her give up on Chloe or on them. And deep down, she knows Chloe's won't either, because Chloe came here tonight when she could have easily run.

So, Beca is going to go for it, she's going to say everything she planned on saying that day Chloe ran.

"But I want to be in love with who you are now and it won't take much, you aren't as different as you think," Beca whispered. "Just please don't run again, please give me a chance to be more than just your friend. And that…" she hesitated just slightly because she didn't know how to read Chloe's blank expression. "That's what I was going to say to you that night after we had sex," Chloe just blinked and remained uneasily quiet. "Well that and I was going to ask you on a real date and make sure you knew that the date meant we weren't in the friend zone anymore."

Beca knew she was rambling, but it was for a reason. She wanted to make sure she got all her thoughts and feelings out before giving Chloe an ultimatum.

Nervously running her hands along her pajama clad thighs, Beca continued, "I don't want to be your friend anymore…Chlo, I can't be your friend anymore. I want more, I want…"

"Bec…" Chloe began but quickly fell silent.

"Please," closing her eyes, Beca practically begged, "please, just let me get through this."

After a prolonged silence, Beca opened her eyes again and watched Chloe's shoulders slump in defeat and she instantly regretted her harsh tone.

"I want to be your girlfriend," Beca began in a gentler tone, "but not just the kind that takes you to dinner and to a movie every weekend or that you sleep with because it's easy and convenient." She took in a slow breath letting her eyes drift away, but she made sure to bring them back so that Chloe could see and feel how serious she was about this. "I want to be a _real_ girlfriend, the kind that's in it for the long haul, the serious kind. The kind that when things get messy and we argue, and we will argue, everyone in relationships do, that we'll work to resolve it and move on."

"I can agree with that," Chloe broke in with a weak smile.

"But I also want to be there for you in all the ways that I've missed out on," Beca rushed out in one long breath. "I want to be your support system and your lover and I want everything in between. But I need you to want all those things too. And…"

Wringing her hands together, Beca knew what she said next was the tricky part, it was time to give the ultimatum.

Turing slightly, Beca made sure she gave Chloe her full attention, "And if you don't want all of that or you just want something casual then I'm sorry, I can't do it." It didn't look like Chloe was even breathing. "I'm sorry but I won't put my heart into something casual. I want something serious and long term, because I'm tired of chasing the thought of you and never actually being able to have it."

"I see…"

"If you want to just be friends we can, I just need to know now before I do something stupid again. You know like kiss you, like I did earlier…because I _really_ want to kiss you again," Beca knew she was blushing hardcore but she didn't care, she was being honest and flustered was honest. "And as great as the physical part was with you, and it was fucking awesome," Chloe blushed this time, "if we're just going to be just friends, sex can't happen again."

"I agree…" Chloe saw pleading eyes and she was at a loss for words again. "Beca, I…"

"Just…" Beca interjected as she stood, mainly because she couldn't bear the thought of being rejected right now after pouring her heart out. "Just promise me you'll think about what I said and decide what you really want from me." Turning back to face Chloe, she said, "Just know I'm not going to wait around forever for an answer and if you run again, well," she shrugged, "I guess I'll have it. I want a chance to fall in love with you again and despite what happened last month, I can tell you I've already started. I think I started falling in love with you again the minute you walked back into my life."

Chloe's blue eyes just blinked back tears, Beca could always tell when Chloe was on the verge of crying.

Even though she said Chloe didn't have to say anything, Beca was kind of hoping for something. The old Chloe would have forced her way into her monologue, so in that aspect Chloe had changed. In any case, Beca is going to try and not read too much into the silence and chalk it up to them trying to relearn each other.

"So, umm, I'll," Beca nervously diverted her eyes to the towel that lay abandoned on the floor. Bending to pick it up, she then held it out. "I'll leave you too it…" The towel was taken and Chloe's fingertips brushed against her knuckles making butterflies erupt in her stomach. "I know it's late, but are you still hungry?"

Chloe nodded but thought best to actually speak, "Yeah, I mean yes."

"Ok, well it won't take long to reheat the Chinese, I'll wait until you're done."

"Ok…"

Heading towards the door Beca turned before she closed it and her heart broke, Chloe looked so tired and so fragile. "I'll set some pajamas out for you on the bed."

Chloe gave a half smile, "Thank you."

The door quietly closed and Chloe immediately turned to the shower and started running the water.

* * *

Standing in the shower, Chloe just let the hot spray wash over her. Showers after an extremely long and tiring day always usually helped her destress, but tonight that wasn't the case, her mind was racing.

It was weird to be standing in Beca's shower and using Beca's things after everything that had transpired. In any other scenario Chloe would relish the opportunity to be immersed in everything Beca, but after hearing Beca pour her heart out, standing in the shower really only gave Chloe the opportunity to really think. Think in a good way because she wanted to make sure her answer to Beca was as complete and astute as what Beca had just said to her.

Beca had just changed Chloe's entire outlook on how tonight and possibly the rest of her life will play out. Beca's effectively giving her a second chance and asking, almost begging, to be her girlfriend all at the same time and that shouldn't be happening. Chloe doesn't know what she's done to deserve this, but she's going take it and she's going to run with it. She's going to spend the rest of her life proving to Beca that she means everything she's going to say.

The thoughts of spending the rest of her life with Beca mixed with the light aroma of Beca's shampoo and body wash lingering around her as Chloe dried off and wrapped herself in Beca's robe, left Chloe feeling all warm and tingly. For the first time in a long time she was relatively happy and it felt like a little bit of a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

After running a brush through her hair and finishing up some other post shower things, Chloe opened the bathroom door and emerged into the bedroom. Lennon was still there in his little bed that was between the bookcase and a dresser and he just lifted his head to look at her for a few seconds before resting it back on his yellow duck. He was the epitome of cute and she can totally tell, just by the number beds around the house and all the toys he has, that Beca was a complete sucker for him.

Drifting over to the bed Chloe found a pair of navy colored cotton pajama pants and a simple grey t-shirt with a Stone Temple Pilots logo. She remembers how she used to give Beca so much shit for wearing this exact t-shirt to bed back in college. The logo was a little more faded now and it was so much softer than she remembers, but seeing it made her smile. They both secretly loved that group and would sing _Interstate Love Song_ every car ride they took together, even if it was just to the grocery store.

Chloe slipped the clothes on and after hanging up the robe and towel, she folded her smelly hospital scrubs and set them on a chair near the bed. She took a little time to snoop a little, mainly checking out Beca's headphones and a few odds and ends that were sitting on the bedside table. Setting down on the edge of the bed she pulled out her phone to check the time and was surprised to see how late or rather how early it was. It seems like they'd talked way longer than she thought, so adrenaline is probably the only thing keeping he going at this point.

Flopping back onto the bed Chloe stretched and reached for a pillow to prop up behind her head so she could randomly scroll through her email. She needed just a few quiet minutes to wind down before she went out to face Beca again and gave her answer. Because she was going to give her answer tonight, she wasn't waiting, she had waited for Beca long enough and she didn't want Beca to have any doubts about that.

Almost within a minute of Chloe stretching out, Lennon was up jumping up on the foot of the bed dragging his yellow duck with him.

"Hey, little guy," rolling to her side Chloe set her phone down and patted the spot next to her. Lennon came right over and dropped the duck next to her hand. "I'm sorry," she gave him a quick scratch behind the ears as she yawned, "but we'll play tomorrow." Lennon rolled to his back making her chuckle and give him that long promised tummy rub. "Something tells me you're a snuggle bug just like your mom…"

Chloe laughed when Lennon licked her hand and flipped back over to face her.

"In case you didn't already know, you're very cute, just like your mom." Lennon inched closer and put his nose under Chloe's fingers so she gave him another pat. "I think you and me are going to be fast friends."

Spying a blanket with a dog bone pattern near her feet, Chloe reached for it and draped it over her new friend.

"How's that?" Chloe smiled as Lennon wiggled around and made himself comfortable. Moving the duck closer she whispered, "Don't forget your friend…"

Reaching out Chloe ran her fingers along Lennon's head and as she gently repeated the action she felt her eyes getting heavier and heavier until she couldn't keep them open anymore.

* * *

Lightly knocking on the bedroom door, Beca waited for an acknowledgement, when she didn't get it she turned the handle and slowly cracked the door open. It had been well over an hour since she left Chloe and she was a little worried that Chloe was taking so long.

"Hey, Chlo," stepping over the threshold, Beca knocked on the door again, except a little harder, so she wouldn't startle Chloe. "I'm just checking in…"

Beca's voice trailed off seeing the person she loved the most curled up in her bed fast asleep. Lennon lifted his head from his spot next to Chloe and it made her smile because it looks like he's already being protective of Chloe.

It was obvious from the moment Chloe walked in the door that she was exhausted. So, Beca's not mad that Chloe's asleep right now. If anything, she's just happy that after everything that she said tonight that Chloe is still here. Things got a little heated and Beca knew she raised her voice and needlessly punched a wall, but she had done those things because she had been so hurt and confused.

Their earlier kiss was an accident, like Beca still can't believe she had been so stupid, but at least Chloe hadn't pushed her away. If given the chance Beca hopes that maybe they can actually be something really great. Except she still needs to hear Chloe's answer, because if Chloe just wants to be friends, then Beca doesn't know if she can handle that.

Sitting down on the bed, Beca ran a hand along the other woman's shoulder, "Chlo…" Chloe stirred and rolled to her back. "Hey, let's get you under the blankets."

Beca silently laughed because Chloe didn't acknowledge her, Chloe just let out a long slow breath from her nose and remained asleep. Chloe was out cold and Beca will admit, it was kind of adorable.

Standing, Beca moved into her closet and grabbed a spare blanket that was big and fluffy and just the kind she knows Chloe loves. After tucking Chloe in, Beca ran to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water and set it, along with Chloe's phone on the nightstand, before moving to Lennon.

"You watch after my girl, ok? Make sure she knows you're there to protect her and give her lots of love," Beca whispered to Lennon as she kissed the top of his head. "But don't be too smooth, she's mine…well hopefully."

Fighting the urge to lean over and kiss Chloe's cheek, Beca instead took one final look at her two loves before grabbing a pillow then moving to the door and switching off the lights.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Liked it, loved it or hated it? I want to know your thoughts, so drop me a review or shoot me a PM and let me know what you think.
> 
> Thank you guys for the reviews and for hanging with me! I appreciate every one so thank you for taking the time!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this extra long chapter! I promise fluffy fun times are in store for these two! They just have to get through the tough stuff first.
> 
> Until next time...


	4. Chloe's Answer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super sorry for the massively extended delay in getting this chapter out. I had to travel a lot for work, then the holidays happened, and I've been traveling again for work. So needless to say I've been super busy with life and work...I only did one final read through before hitting submit when i usually do 2-3, so hopefully I didn't miss too many mistakes!
> 
> In any case, I hope you guys are still sticking with me and I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: PP and it's characters still isn't mine and never will be, but everything else, including all mistakes, is!
> 
> Now on with the show...

Beca yawned as she stretched out along the guest bed she'd fallen asleep in late last night. The bed was comfortable, granted not as comfortable as her bed, but she had been so emotionally and physically spent last night that she barely remembers crawling under the sheets before completely crashing.

Flipping to her back, Beca rubbed her eyes and winced when her right hand ached just slightly from the action. Holding it up she tried to examine it through her sleepy haze and could just make out light bruising and a little swelling around the knuckles. Punching the shower wall wasn't her finest moment last night, but thankfully, just like Chloe said, nothing seemed broken and she was easily able to flex and wiggle her fingers.

Despite her injured hand, last night had been a crazy mix of emotions and somehow they had both come out relatively unscathed. There had been tears and yelling and even some laughter, but pouring her heart out to the very person she had spent a decade loving from afar was cathartic in a weird way. A weight that had been lifted off of her shoulders and she is waking up today with a fresh outlook on life. A life that she hopes will include Chloe.

The fact Chloe had fallen asleep instead of running last night give Beca hope. Granted she could open this bedroom door and find all traces of Chloe gone, but deep down something tells her that Chloe is still here. Beca knows that because she had seen how hopeful Chloe had looked when she had said that they still had a chance to create a beautiful life together, one that they both deserve, if Chloe just gave her a chance.

Beca doesn't want to play games anymore when it comes to relationships because she's at the stage in her life where she is ready to settle down and get married. Sure, having someone to wear tacky couples costumes at Halloween parties is great, but what she really needs is someone she can come home to and be vulnerable with while getting a level of intimacy in return that is only achievable from being in long term and committed relationships.

Rolling to her side, Beca swiped her phone from the bedside table to check the time. It was almost eleven, but how late it was, wasn't what she focused on. Instead she focused on a handful of rambling texts from Chloe and each one of them made her smile.

Chloe [6:49AM]: I'm sorry I fell asleep last night before we could eat, but I'm still here…thanks for the water and extra blanket…and for letting me borrow your bed and super cute dog!

Lennon was cute, no denying that, and Chloe probably quickly found out that she has a new friend for life if she allowed him to snuggle all night.

Chloe [8:53AM]: I found you in the guest room at 5 this morning and was going to make you move to your bed, but you looked really cute so I left you alone ;)

Beca chuckled at that one, Chloe always used to tell her how cute she looked cute while she slept.

Chloe [10:07AM]: Oh and I also went ahead and fed Lennon, I found a note tacked onto the fridge for the dog walker telling her how much to feed him. Then he did his business outside and we promptly came back to bed and cuddled while watching TV for the next few hours.

Chloe [10:09AM]: If you can't tell Lennon and I are already best friends…When you get up you can find us on you're on your back patio.

The rambling texts were obviously meant to reassure Beca that Chloe hadn't left and to make her smile. And smiling is exactly what she is doing right now as she rereads every single one of them again, trying to decipher some hidden meaning in them. Regardless of how this day ends, Chloe was still here and that simple fact means more than Chloe will ever know.

Beca's fingers slid across the screen as she typed out a reply.

Beca [10:39AM]: Thanks for sticking around. I'll be out soon, I've got normal morning things to take care of.

Beca was just closing out the text app when another response came through.

Chloe [10:40AM]: Take your time, I'm not going anywhere. Lennon and I are just hanging out.

Along with the text a picture was sent of Chloe's bare feet propped up in a chair with Lennon's head resting on her ankles. Lennon looked entirely too comfortable curled around his yellow duck half covered in a towel without even a hint of giving a fuck showing on his face. Lennon loves chill people, so Beca can't really blame him for naturally gravitating to Chloe and sticking by the other woman's side all night.

Bringing the phone closer to her face, Beca zoomed in on the picture. She could just barely make out the frayed edges of a book sitting in Chloe's lap. A book that looked suspiciously like the exact one she had currently sitting on her nightstand.

Beca [10:42AM]: I should have known my dog would like you better than me…Also you better not have lost my spot in Ready Player One, otherwise I'll

Beca's phone slipped from her grip and as she scrambled to try and not let it smack her forehead, she accidently hit send. It was to no avail though as the device fell hard against her head and she winced rubbing the spot right above her eyebrow.

Chloe [10:43AM]: You'll what?

Beca [10:43AM]: Wouldn't you like to know…

Chloe [10:44AM]: I would actually…what could badass Beca Mitchell possibly do to me that would have me begging for mercy?

All things considered Chloe seemed like she was in a good mood this morning, so Beca went bold in her reply back, mainly for the shock value.

Beca smirked as she typed.

Beca [10:45AM]: I know ways to make you beg and one involves my left hand and two fingers…

The little text bubble popped up then went away then popped up again, making Beca hold her breath in anticipation. If Chloe gave any hints of flirting back then Beca might be one step closer to actually having the girl of her dreams.

Chloe [10:47AM]: Beca Mitchell are you trying to flirt with me?

Beca [10:47AM]: Did you want me to flirt with you?

Chloe [10:48AM]: Yes…

Biting her lip, Beca typed.

Beca [10:48AM]: Then yes, yes I was…but I feel like that was super lame…

Chloe [10:49AM]: It wasn't, it was pretty hot actually, trust me.

Beca [10:51AM]: Well in that case hello, I'm a thief and I'm here to steel your heart.

Beca [10:52AM]: Was that lame enough for you?

Chloe [10:52AM]: You are so cheesy!

Beca barked out a laugh as she read Chloe's reply. Chloe was probably laughing and mumbling about how adorable she is and as much as she would tell Chloe that she hates that word, Beca secretly loves when Chloe calls her adorable. Whatever the case may be, Beca's just glad that Chloe's smiling, even if she can't see it.

Chloe [10:53AM]: Come out here and let's talk…

Well that wasn't the kind of follow up text that Beca had been hoping for, but she guesses at some point the fun and games would end. It was unrealistic to think that a little flirtatious banter would suddenly right their world and they could forget about the past.

Flinging the duvet over her head, Beca closed her eyes and shuffled down further into the warmth of the bed. She needed to stay positive about this and keep telling herself that Chloe was still here when she could have so easily ran and that could only mean good things.

The phone dinged again making Beca chuckle as she blindly reached for her phone. This time the text wasn't from Chloe, but rather a group text from the studio reminding everyone that until further notice trips into work need to be prearranged and should only be taken if absolutely necessary. She didn't really care, most of the time she worked from home anyway, but she did have an office and rather dull studio that she frequented a few times a week to keep up appearances. She needed to make a trip down there at some point this week and pick up a few things she would probably need if this whole shutdown thing really happened.

Giving one last stretch, Beca opted to quit prolonging the inevitable and get her morning started. After slipping out of bed she made a quick dash across the house to her bedroom.

It was when Beca was exiting her bathroom that she noticed things around her bedroom that _distinctly_ weren't hers. Chloe's clothes were there, neatly folded on a nearby chair and Chloe's backpack was now sitting on the end of the unmade bed.

Beca couldn't help but casually peek inside the open compartments and she didn't even feel guilty about it. Hell, Chloe has probably already snooped through her bedroom and studio, so Beca was going to do a little snooping of her own, it was only fair.

The main part of the backpack was mainly full of what looked like work stuff. It held a couple small medical reference books and journal articles and a hospital ID badge. While the smaller one had a couple bags of snacks, some magazines, specifically National Geographic, one about food and wine, and one on running, and oddly enough at the very bottom an old flash drive that Beca knew for a fact she had given Chloe back in college. However, in typical Chloe Beale fashion, in small front pocket next to Chloe's wallet and car keys was a giant bag of Starburst, Chloe's all-time favorite candy.

Looking over to the bedside table Beca just laughed seeing a couple of Starburst wrappers next to the TV remote and the now empty water bottle. It was nice knowing that Chloe was still addicted to that candy just like she was back in college, becausethere was never a time back then where Chloe didn't have Starburst somewhere on her at all times. Chloe even kept some in her pockets and popped one before _and_ after each Bellas performance 'for good luck'. Something tells her that instead of singing, Chloe now pops one before and after each surgery she is a part of.

Not long after that, Beca found herself standing in front of the open refrigerator trying to decide what she wanted to eat just to prolong going out and facing whatever was going to come next.

"Fuck it, I've made worse decisions in my life than drinking beer at eleven on a Tuesday," Beca mumbled looking down at the label in her hands as the refrigerator door silently closed.

However, before leaving the kitchen, Beca went back and grabbed a second beer along with a bag of pita chips. She'll say the second beer is for Chloe, but if it's passed on she'll just drink it anyway because there's no way she's letting good beer go to waste. Plus, if things go south it might be best to start drowning her sorrows now rather than later.

As Beca approached one of the partially open sliding glass doors just off her living room, her stomach twisted in knots. This was it, this was going to be one of the turning points in her life where things could honestly go either _very_ right or _very_ wrong.

Pushing the door open with her elbow, Beca stepped out onto her back patio and looked to her right to find Chloe sitting at her outdoor table, book in hand, in a similar pose to the picture that was sent earlier.

Chloe smiled effortlessly and Beca swears her heart stopped right then, because it was the first true smile she had seen out of Chloe since Chloe stepped in her home last night. It was a smile that said without a doubt that Chloe was one hundred percent glad to see her. It wasn't forced like many of the others she had been given and it was the complete opposite of what Beca had expected.

The smile made Beca stumble for her words, "H-hey."

"Hey," Chloe repeated gently marking her page and closing the book.

Setting the beer and food down on the table, Beca sank into the chair directly across from Chloe and tried to avoid eye contact. Which was hard considering that smile she just got, but when Chloe smiles at her like that it makes her so nervous.

Chancing a glance up, Beca asked, "When did you start wearing glasses?"

"Oh," Chloe gave a nervous laugh as she slipped the glasses off and set them on top of the book, "umm my last year of med school…I started getting headaches while reading and I realized I was squinting all the time."

Taking a beer, Beca placed the bottle cap along the edge of the table then gave the top a hard smack, making the cap pop right off.

"You look nice in them," Beca held out the beer.

"Thanks," leaning forward Chloe accepted the bottle, "I wear contacts when I work, but on my days off I take them out." She watched in amusement as Beca lined another bottle up against the table. "I forgot to take them out last night before I fell asleep and they were bothering me this morning."

"I like your glasses," smacking her hand down against cap on the second bottle Beca noted how it popped off easier than the first, "you look studious, it's hot…not that the whole doctor vibe isn't hot because it is. And I'm gonna shut up now."

Uncharacteristically, Chloe's face flushed with heat at the remarks.

"Breakfast of champions!" Beca stated before Chloe could reply. Tipping the bottle back she took a quick sip then sat forward to peek over the table. "Where's my boy?"

Lennon's little head popped into view and as soon as he saw Beca, his little body wiggled in excitement. Within seconds he had hopped down and was dashing over and jumping up into her lap.

Setting her bottle aside, Beca cradled Lennon in her arms so she could give him his usual good morning belly rubs.

"How's my baby?" Beca laughed as he wiggled around playfully nipping at her fingers. "Did you have a good sleep?" Lennon flipped over and she gave a kiss to the top of his head before he jumped back down and darted back over to Chloe. When he curled into a ball at Chloe's feet again, she chuckled, "Well I see where I stand."

Chloe laughed along, "He really is such a cutie, Bec. I don't know why but we're already best friends," Beca gave her a knowing look, "but he was by my side all night and we snuggled while we watched The Office all morning."

Drumming her fingers on the arm of the chair, Beca said, "He just _loves_ people, well except for Aubrey. He growls at her."

"Why?"

"I have no clue, but it's fucking hilarious."

Taking the clip off the top of the pita chips, Beca set it aside before placing the bag in the middle of the table.

"I should have brought some hummus," Beca commented breaking the weird silence as she chanced a glance in Chloe's direction. She found Chloe intently studying her.

"So, how do you like Ready Player One?" Chloe figured she'd start with a relatively safe question.

"It's awesome, sometimes I can't put it down."

Chloe fiddled with the bottle in her hand, "I'm twenty pages in and I can barely keep track of all the pop culture and movie references. Do you even get any of them?" Beca actually looked slightly offended by the question, it was cute. "What?"

"The last year or so I've been on a movie kick," Beca rolled her eyes when Chloe playfully gasped. "Stacie shoved that book down my throat a few months ago saying it would help me on my quest." She gave a half shrug. "So, I gave it a shot, it's been a slow process."

"So now you like movies?" Chloe was totally unprepared for this revelation.

Groaning, Beca slouched in her chair, "I'm just starting to delve into them. I don't have a favorite yet."

Putting her glasses back on, Chloe opened to a random page and scanned it, "Do you even know who John Hughes is and have you ever seen The Breakfast Club?"

"Yes and no, but mostly no," Beca shot back with a smile as she leaned across the table to point to a highlighted sentence. "I underline movies and questionable references I find then I search the internet and add them to my ever growing list." Chloe actually grinned at that, like an all excited and happy to hear this type of grin. Dropping back into her chair she huffed. "Dude, that book is about so much more than just a bunch of 'pop culture' references."

Shutting the book, Chloe set it aside again along with her glasses then reached for a pita chip.

"I know," Chloe took a small bite as she sat back, "but what's huge here is that you're," she pointed, "watching movies now. We can watch movies together!"

Beca lightly rolled her eyes trying to play it off like she didn't like the sound of that when, in fact, she honestly loved it. The whole idea of them watching movies together and sharing things like popcorn and snacks _and_ kisses kind of made her life. She could even buy one of those projector things so they could watch movies outside while snuggling next to her fire pit. They could have so many awesome date nights.

"Fine," Beca grumbled taking another swig of beer.

Chloe nodded, "I can't wait!"

"So, like…" sucking up her nervousness, Beca asked, "are we gonna watch movies as like a date activity?" Her voice trailed off seeing Chloe tense up. "Sorry, I just thought with the whole text message thing earlier that maybe…"

"No, no," Chloe cleared her throat, "I want to…" Casting her eyes down to the bottle in her hands again, she sucked in a breath. "Date you that is…"

Looking back up, Beca gave a nod but still seemed really unsure and Chloe mentally kicked herself for how shitty that response just came out. She sounded like she was so unsure of whether or not she wanted to date Beca, when that wasn't the case at all.

"I do want to date you, I just…" Chloe let out a sigh of frustration unable to find the right words when she really needed them. "What I mean to say is…"

Beca quickly looked away, her heart pounding out of her chest. Things were awkward again and she didn't know if it was because of her and her ill-timed half joke half serious attempt at asking Chloe out on a date or if Chloe really was second guessing everything.

It's weird, the ultimatum Beca set last night seems really harsh now and she shouldn't have placed it on Chloe, especially after seeing how hard it was for Chloe to tell everything that she did last night. Beca knows she should have been more tactful and now she feels guilty and like maybe she should backtrack a bit and give Chloe some space and time to work things out.

"Don't do that…" Beca's eyes snapped back up at the sound of Chloe's voice. What she found in place of a conflicted and worried expression was a soft smile and caring eyes. "You're starting to regret the things you said to me, aren't you?"

Beca relaxed a little bit, letting out a long stream of air, "Yeah…"

"Bec, it's what needed to be said regardless of how hard it was for me to listen to." Dropping her feet from the chair she had them propped up in, Chloe fully turned to face Beca. "I understand now how completely devastated you were when I left and how shitty I was for doing that to you. I was very selfish to think that I was the only one hurting."

Picking at the label on her bottle, Beca whispered, "I was never able to get over you."

"I know," Chloe wished she could reach across the table to hold Beca's hand, but it wasn't the right time yet. "And I know you're feeling guilty for being so direct and letting your guard down and your emotions get carried away last night."

"I'm sorry about that…" Beca slumped further in her chair. "I just…everything came rushing out all at once. I should have been more tactful."

"You don't need to apologize," Chloe quickly stated. "See you're being you again. You have a habit of always putting your feelings second to mine regardless of how it makes you feel." Beca gave a single head nod. "But I'm the only one you do that for, why?"

"Because I like seeing you happy," Beca honestly said, "I like being the reason you smile. Even when I'm being a sarcastic jerk."

"No, it's because underneath it all you're an incredibly kind and gentle person, and I absolutely _love_ ," Chloe stressed, "that you only let me see that side."

They smiled at each other.

"I try really hard to not let people in, but I can't stop you. Even a decade later standing in a grocery store face to face with you I knew I should hate you, but I couldn't." Which is why Beca knows Chloe is her forever person. "And just like right now, I don't really know where you stand with everything I said, but I know I can't stop myself from still wanting everything with you."

Chloe bit her lip and she fidgeted with the bottle in her hands, making Beca glance down to them. She misses the warmth Chloe's touch always brought her whether she wanted the action or not. And although she never overtly paid too much attention to Chloe's hands, it was weird seeing the lack of fancy nail polish on the soft and delicate fingertips like Chloe _always_ had back in college. Instead they were plain and short yet perfectly manicured, indicative that Chloe kept them that way for work.

Beca wants to constantly hold those hands and inspect each finger and learn where each faint line begins and ends. But before she can get too carried away, she shifts her gaze away from them only to find Chloe curiously watching her with an unreadable expression.

"Are you hungry?"

"What?" Chloe blurted at the abrupt change of subject. It really shouldn't have surprised her, Beca tended to flip-flop topics to divert the focus away from sensitive subjects. "Sorry, yeah I am…"

"Pita chips just aren't cutting it for me," Beca patted her stomach, "I could use some real food."

"Oh…"

"Want the Chinese from last night or I can make sandwiches?"

"I kinda scarfed an egg roll and most of the Chinese early this morning while Lennon ate," Chloe said guiltily making Beca nervously laugh, "so there's not much left."

Pushing her chair back, Beca stood, "You know what? I know a great lunch place that delivers…" She hiked a thumb over her shoulder. "Let me just grab the menu, if you're still around later I can grill us something."

Chloe didn't know what to do, Beca was panicking and seemed to be trying to make a temporary escape just when she had finally worked up the courage to say what she needed to say.

"Yeah ok…"

Chloe watched Beca reach for the bag of pita chips with shaky hands.

"Bec…" Chloe's voice was soft and on the verge of breaking. "Beca, please sit back down. Please don't run away from me right now."

The very obvious reason Beca was trying to dodge the conversation is because she probably thinks she is about to be rejected. And it's because Chloe's words failed her where they should have come out so easily. Part of Chloe wants to let Beca go and come back when she's ready, but Chloe knows how disastrous that could turn out. So, Chloe isn't going to let Beca walk away this time.

"I'll be right back, I promise…"

Almost in slow motion, Chloe watched Beca turn and make her way over to the sliding glass door. Just as Beca reached for the handle, Chloe fucking went for it.

"I don't need to think about what I want anymore, I know what I want," Chloe rushed out in one quick breath making Beca's step hesitate. "I'm in love with you, I've been in love with you for so long that I don't know how _not_ to be in love with you." Her voice wavered at the end, especially when Beca turned back around to look at her. "I'm still not used to saying it out loud and I'm _definitely_ not used to how vulnerable it makes me feel to say it too you after hiding it for so long."

"You think it was easy for me to say all that stuff to you last night?"

"Well no," Chloe looked down at the bottle she was now clutching in her hands. "I just…" She took in a breath and looked back over at Beca. "I heard everything you said and I want it all, but I also fear one day you'll wake up and realize that I was just your college crush."

"You're afraid you'll never be good enough for me?" Chloe nodded. "Chlo, no why…why would you ever think that?" Beca softly asked.

Chloe gave a defeated shrug, "I just…I don't know. It's stupid but in some warped way I kind of always figured you deserved someone so much better than me. I mean you're _you_ and I'm just…I don't know what I bring to the table."

"That's some crazy nonsense and you know it." Chloe just sadly looked at Beca. "I've been through a few girlfriends but none of them where as smart or talented as you and none of them gave me anything that I really needed. I got more love in one afternoon from you than I've gotten in the last ten years from _any_ of them." They were both quiet for a few seconds. "You have to admit something special happened in that bedroom last month," she pointed to the sliding glass doors on the other end of the patio that lead into her room, "and it wasn't because you were just a 'college crush'," she repeated the words firmly.

"I can't pinpoint exactly what it was, but it was really special," Chloe agreed, "and it's something I can't stop thinking about. It was singlehandedly one of the best experiences of my life."

"See, you don't feel what we felt if there wasn't some kind of deep connection there."

Chloe was quick to answer, "I guess I am making excuses because things scare me. Loving you scares me."

"Loving you scares me too," Beca acknowledged. "But I think letting myself fall in love with you a second time is worth taking another risk. You are worth the risk."

Chloe tried to hold back her tears but it was a lost cause when she felt one slip down her cheek. Beca continues to unknowingly say all the right things and be the person she so desperately needs.

Harshly wiping away the tear, Chloe saw Beca hesitate just slightly. Beca wanted to reach out to her and that meant everything to Chloe.

"Despite all my fears and insecurities, I know you're worth it too…You're everything I've ever wanted." Gripping the beer bottle in her hands tighter, Chloe's heartrate doubled. "Fuck Beca, you say all the right things and look at me in all the right ways. I'm sorry I didn't see that sooner."

Beca's throat bobbed a few times and Chloe knew exactly what it meant, it was one of Beca's biggest tells that she had learned a long time ago. It meant that Beca was trying to keep up with everything that she was saying while also keeping her emotions in check.

"I want it all with you," Chloe paused, "and I know you're the only one who can give me exactly what I need without me even having to ask."

Beca stepped closer to the table, "Can't you see it? That's why we're great together. We know each other better than we know ourselves."

"I've been so selfish for so long and I want to right my wrongs. I want to spend the rest of my life proving to you that I want you and that I love you." Beca seemed to be holding onto each word as Chloe spoke. "I want to be loved by you again, but not from afar or hidden. I want it all out in the open. And I want you to look at me and know you're the center of my world, just like you always have been mine."

"I hope you're not just saying this because you think this is what I want to hear."

"No, I'm not, I swear."

"I still have a ton of questions," setting the stuff in her hands down, Beca used her t-shirt to dry her eyes, she has waited to hear all of this for this for so long. "Some I'll probably ask multiple times just so I can wrap my head around everything that has happened. I'll probably be annoying."

Standing, Chloe quickly moved around the table, "And I'll answer every single one. I'll never hide anything from you or lie to you again. Let me prove that too you."

Chloe knows she owes Beca so much more than what she is saying, hell she even owes it to herself. She was a horrible friend, she was the exact opposite of everything her past personality stood for. She has become a closed off and, at times, a selfish person who is not as carefree and fun as she used to be, and she hates that she has lost her way. Except in a matter of a few months of having Beca back in her life, Chloe is starting to feel like maybe the person she once was isn't completely lost, it just needs a little dusting off.

"I want to love you, I want to love you so bad." Tilting her head back, Beca looked up to the sky and pinched the bridge of her nose. "So, can I please completely fall for you this time? Like how it's supposed to be, like by going on dates and just being with you? Like normal couple shit?"

"Yes, all of that and so much more because I want that too…" Chloe let out a breath as she came to a stop in front of the love of her life. "Beca please look at me," grey-blue eyes tilted downwards and for the first time Chloe saw hope in them, but also a little unsureness. "What's wrong?"

"This is way too easy," Beca scratched under her nose. "Since you left, my life and love life have always been messy and complicated. Are you sure there's nothing else, like no other hidden catches or shit I should know about that's gonna bite me in the ass later? It's not supposed to be this easy."

"Maybe one thing…" Chloe cautiously began knowing it was far too early to be thinking this way. "And I don't know how to say this without it coming off as me putting demands on you. Just know it's what I want, it's what I've always wanted even before I knew I wanted you."

"I'm listening," Beca had a feeling she knew where this was going and it wasn't unsettling.

"One day…" Chloe closed her eyes with a sigh. "Fuck why is this so hard…"

Chloe let out a frustrated breath, mainly at herself for not being at all prepared for this but mainly because she was so amped up that she was unable to find the words.

Opening her eyes again, Chloe's heart fluttered at how calmly and gently Beca was watching her.

"Fuck it, I'm just gonna say it."

"Then say it Chlo," Beca halfway smirked at how cute Chloe's uncharacteristic rambling was. Taking a page out of Chloe's book she said, "Take a breath and just tell me what you want."

Wringing her hands, Chloe looked to the pool then back to Beca, "One day, I want to be married and to be a mom. And I know neither of those things are high on your list, they never were, but it's important to me. Extremely important."

Chloe bit her lip as she watched Beca take that in and begin to compartmentalize what that means. Although it was a huge confession, she found that it was weirdly comforting to be this vulnerable with someone again.

The silence was nerve-wracking and Chloe knew this so wasn't the right time to be bringing this up but fuck it, she'd already thrown it out there. Beca was able to make it very clear what she wanted last night, so why couldn't Chloe do the same? Because the last thing Chloe wants to do is fall in love with Beca again only to end up losing Beca for a second time because they don't want the same goals in life.

Unable to take the silence anymore, Chloe released her bottom lip with a sigh, "You know how much I love kids."

"I do," Beca answered. Children was something that Chloe frequently talked about back in college, so these kinds of comments weren't surprising. What was surprising was how scared Chloe seemed to be by just saying it. "I think you'll be a great mom."

"And…"

Lifting the neck of her shirt Chloe rubbed her cheek against the soft fabric as she tried to dry her tears. Her eyes flashed to Beca's fingers when they twitched and were immediately balled into a fist at Beca's side. Chloe slumped her shoulders when Beca didn't reach out for her, a clear sign of everything that she had feared. Beca knew what was up and was pulling away from her.

"And…" Chloe's heart sank when Beca did what Beca always does in awkward situations, remain deafly quiet. "And I'm sorry but I need you to tell me you'll at least _think_ ," she heavily stressed the word knowing it was a last ditch effort, "about both those things before and that we can talk them out later. Not like right now, but at some point, when things get serious."

"I don't need to think about them," Beca rushed out and Chloe's face immediately fell, breaking into a thousand pieces. In an instant she knew she had fucked up. "What I mean is," Chloe's hurt filled eyes reluctantly connected with hers, "I can give you a family."

"What?"

"Well not like _that_ ," Beca kind of rolled her eyes at how juvenile that sounded, "like I can't physically give you a baby, unless something has changed, because you know, science."

Normally Chloe would laugh at Beca obvious attempt at a joke, but she just couldn't with this. Family and marriage were not joking matters to her.

Chloe wiped under her eyes, "Please don't play games with me."

"Chlo, I'm not," Beca cautiously shuffled closer so that there was less than a foot separating them, "there are other ways for me to give you and us a family."

Reaching out, Beca placed her hands on Chloe's cheeks drying the latest string of tears. She'll admit she loved how Chloe's eyes fluttered shut and how Chloe instinctively leaned into the touch. It was almost like Chloe needed her touch and warmth to survive, it was the first time she had ever noticed that. Hell, the warmth radiating from Chloe's entire being is what Beca needs to survive and she has missed it for so long. Just being in Chloe's presence gives Beca a sense of comfort and calm.

Chloe is the love of her life and now more than ever Beca realizes that she needs Chloe just as much as Chloe needs her.

"There's a few new things you should know about me. When I was lying in that hospital bed with no one to talk to and with all kinds of gadgets and gizmos," Chloe's eyes opened and instantly connected with Beca's, "strapped to my body and doctors talking at me in what seemed like a foreign language warning me if my body couldn't fight off the pneumonia that I could die." She swiped away another one of Chloe's tears. "Let's just say I got a hard reality check on what's important in life."

"You did?"

"I did…"

Beca hand never told anyone this, because honestly, she didn't want to hear all the noise from the Bellas, but the loneliest part about being stuck in that hospital was that she didn't have someone she loved sitting next to her telling her everything was going to be ok. It made her realize that she didn't want to live her life alone and suddenly her whole outlook on marriage and a family changed.

"Are you saying you want kids?" Chloe's voice was barely above a whisper.

"Well not like right now, but eventually yeah," Beca used the pad of her thumbs to dry the remaining traces of Chloe's tears. "Granted, I'll probably be a shit mom. My ex had a kid but she could walk and entertain herself for the most part and that was a lot of fun. But a baby?"

"I don't think you give yourself enough credit."

"I mean let's be honest, I could barely take care of myself back in college. And now, if it weren't for Lennon and his need for attention," his little head popped up into view from across the table, tail wagging making them both chuckle, "I'd probably go days without eating or sleeping. You know how I get when I work on my music."

Chloe let out a watery laugh, "I remember."

"As for marriage," Beca gave an easy smile, "yeah, I definitely want to be married. I want to settle down and share a home and a life with you. I want you to jokingly tell all your coworkers and our friends that you locked me down and I finally put a ring on your finger. I want to be committed to only you."

Wow, so Chloe wasn't at all prepared for that statement. Like her life seriously can't be real right now, Beca has just stood here and told her everything she ever wanted to hear.

"I'm sorry I got so emotional, it's just that a family," Beca tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and the simple gesture made Chloe slightly shiver, "is something I want and well I want you too."

"Don't apologize," Beca whispered.

Chloe drew in a steadying breath, "I was afraid I may have to give up it in order to have you."

"You'd really give up a family to be with me?" Beca pushed a couple more strands of hair out of Chloe's face. "As much as I want you, even I wouldn't be selfish enough to let you do that."

Swallowing thickly, Chloe spoke, "It wouldn't have been easy, but I think if you would have told me something else, I would have thought about it, but ultimately chosen you."

"Well it's a good thing you don't have to choose now, isn't it?" Beca loved how the brightness seemed to have come back in those blue eyes with one question. "Besides," she winked, "if I didn't want all this white picket fence shit, all you would have to do to convince me is kiss me." Chloe softly giggled. "That alone will get me to do pretty much whatever you want."

Chloe's hands found Beca's hips, "Is this your way of hinting that you want to kiss me?"

Beca shrugged, "Maybe…"

"You were always _very_ good at hinting around what you wanted and never outright saying it."

"Huh," Beca smiled, "guess you still know me pretty well."

Chloe gave a wink of her own, "So, you gonna kiss me or what?"

Beca's eyes flicked down then back up, "There's less than six inches separating us. I thought it was pretty clear that I was getting to that."

There was nothing after that just the sound of their steady breathing as they just stared at one another. A lot of pent up emotions had come spilling out of them in the last twelve hours and the main thing Beca got out of everything was that they had both made mistakes, but that despite all that they were still so in love with each other.

Gently cupping Chloe's cheeks, Beca leaned in and whispered, "This is ok, right?"

"Uh huh…" Chloe nudged the tip of her nose with Beca's. "More than ok. It's very ok…"

"Awesome."

The last word was barely out of Beca's mouth before she was closing what little space remained between them and connecting their lips.

Beca couldn't come up with a word for how it felt to share such a simple kiss with the person that means everything to her. It was however weird how casual it all seemed and how right it felt, but it wasn't a bad weird just an unexpected type of weird. She always imagined taking Chloe on a fancy date and spilling her guts out and then them sharing a kiss like this on some random beach at sunset. Instead this was none of that, this was them on her back pool deck, barefoot, in their pajamas, and in bright sunlight after a long and tense night.

But this was just as perfect as any sappy romantic scenario Beca could come up with. In fact, it was probably the most perfect kiss that Beca has ever had and that's saying a lot because the one last month in her pool with the same girl was pretty high up there.

There was a tenderness to it, Chloe's lips were so soft and warm that it made Beca's head spin. Then when Chloe's fingers worked their way under her t-shirt to rest against her bare skin of her lower back, her knees nearly went weak. Chloe's fingertips felt good against her skin, like they knew her, like they were always meant to be there and that they owned her. It made Beca fight the urge to back them up against the nearest solid surface so she could press further into Chloe as they deepen the kiss.

Except Beca didn't have to move them anywhere to feel more of Chloe because Chloe shifted ever so subtly and Beca felt all the aftereffects. Every dip and curve of Chloe's body fit perfectly against hers and well it was everything Beca's dirty mind could imagine. Chloe's body was a gift, it always had been, and Beca was never more aware of that fact than right now.

The soft brushes of their tongues and the sounds of their lips breaking then rejoining made Beca's heart soar, because never in her life has kissing someone felt so right. But the fact that she could feel Chloe's tears, which there wasn't many, was what made Beca realize just how much pain Chloe had put herself through for the last ten years. It was then that Beca vowed to do everything in her power to make Chloe happy and to feel loved.

Not wanting to get carried away, Beca reluctantly placed one final lingering kiss to Chloe's lips before pulling back. Their breathing was ragged and Beca kept her eyes closed for a few seconds longer than she normally would just to savor this feeling.

"I've been chasing the perfect kiss my entire life," Chloe whispered not wanting to break the bubble they were in, "and I just had it."

Taking Beca's hands, Chloe tilted her head and pressed a simple kiss to each palm, noting how smooth it was against her lips. The action made Beca let out a long, slow, and shaky breath. It was kind of hot how Beca was trying to maintain her composure, but Chloe could tell Beca's heart was racing just as much as hers.

"I love how you just kissed me…" Chloe brought Beca's hands down to rest on her sides. "My whole body felt that, especially my heart."

"Mine too…" Beca's eyes fluttered open and she was met with a shyly smiling Chloe Beale adorably biting her swollen bottom lip. "No-not that our other kisses weren't great too, but it's just different now, you know?" Lightly clearing her throat, she tried to stop her head from spinning. "And I just went for it there when you gave me a little bit of an opening and I probably should've wai…"

Beca's last word was silenced when Chloe guided her in for another kiss. This time however she let herself really get carried away because Chloe was definitely allowing it to go there and go there fast. Chloe's arms draped around her neck making the t-shirt ride up just slightly and allow Beca's fingertips to spread out along the smooth warm skin. Skin Beca wants to see more of and become _very_ familiar with and skin she knows exactly how it looks glistening with sweat and tenses when Chloe's on the verge of…

"You wanna…" Beca sucked in a breath as lips attached to the sensitive spot right below her jawline. The spot Chloe had quickly found last month and had left the lightest marks, two of which lingered for days. "Shit, Chlo…" she swallowed thickly feeling teeth lightly graze the spot as she tilted her head to the side, "damn."

"I want you," Chloe mumbled against Beca's skin, "take me to bed."

"You wanna, what?" Beca was brought back to reality. "Wait, for real?"

"Uh huh," Chloe's muffled conformation was barely heard as she captured Beca lips again.

Fuck how could Beca turn that down? The way Chloe was kissing her was very telling. In only actions Chloe was saying that she wanted this and she wanted it now and it was just ramping Beca up. Chloe's fingers were threading through Beca's hair lightly scraping at her scalp in this mind-numbing way as Chloe's tongue worked its magic against hers.

Chloe was an awesome kisser, everything about it was hot and fast and sensual. Like it was making Beca toss out whatever logical judgement she had left about whether or not they should do this right now.

Oh, and then there is the whole hot body situation Chloe has going on and how Beca could feel every bit of Chloe against her. The way Chloe's body was working against hers wasn't helping Beca's already clouded judgement make any rational decisions right now. She is ready to push Chloe up against the nearest stable surface, rip Chloe's clothes off, and just fuck Chloe senseless until they are both screaming out, and Beca doesn't even feel the slightest bit guilty about that.

Beca wasn't expecting sex when she woke up this morning, but that seems to have drastically changed in a matter of just a handful of minutes. Besides she's not stupid, she's not going to _purposely_ turn down sex with anyone, especially if sex is with Chloe. Chloe, who for lack of a better phrase, rocked her world the last time.

"I don't want to wait…" Chloe raggedly muttered after pausing just briefly to catch her breath. She shivered as Beca took the opportunity to slip her fingers into the back of her pajama pants to rest high on her ass. "You can take more," she lowered one of her hands to Beca's wrist, pushing the hand further underneath the fabric, "you've touched me before."

"Not like this," Beca said slowly against the love of her life's ear, "not after everything."

"You're scared?"

"Yeah…"

"Me too…" Chloe started slowly shuffling backwards, Beca countering every step. "I don't know the way, teach me the way…"

Beca stilled their movements and pulled her head back to gauge Chloe's reaction, "What way?"

"The way to your bedroom, to your heart," Chloe slid a hand down to rest directly over Beca's heart, "the many ways to love you and the way to make love to you…"

Beca took in an unsteady breath, "Ok…"

It might not be the best idea or even normal to jump right into bed after everything that has transpired between them in the past twenty-four hours, but Beca knows her _entire_ relationship with Chloe has never really been normal. Outsiders looking in probably thought they were crazy, hell she thought they were crazy, but they worked because they weren't normal and she wouldn't have it any other way. So, in the words of Stacie Conrad they probably did just "need to bang it out" a few times to release the pent up sexual tension that always seems to be simmering between them. Although Beca is pretty sure that no matter how many times they "bang it out" that sexual tension will always be present every time she looks at Chloe.

As they started to inch their way across the back patio, Chloe's hands found their way to the drawstring of Beca's pajama pants, where they began working to loosen the lightly tied knot. How Chloe managed to do that while walking backwards and still maintaining this kiss was kind of incredible. Walking without kissing tends to be difficult sometimes for Beca, so she would kill to have Chloe's kind of coordination, but she'll just attribute that to Chloe's insane set of multi-tasking doctor skills.

In the shuffle Beca did manage to somehow move one of her hands, the hand that wasn't currently caressing Chloe's perfect ass, up to the back of Chloe's neck so she could angle Chloe's head just slightly. The movement was done with relative easy and made her look really smooth and totally put together because in one fluid motion the kiss went deeper and Chloe pressed further into her.

They were unfortunately brought back to reality when they came to an abrupt halt as Chloe's back and Beca's fingers connected rather harshly with the sliding glass door. Chloe let out a little grunt into Beca's mouth and the fingers running along Beca's abs, the ones pushing her pajama pants further down on her hips, stilled.

They kiss abruptly ended causing Beca to immediately snap her eyes open and through lust filled haze she saw two things, Chloe slightly wincing and the partially closed blinds of her bedroom. She had been so caught up in trading heavy kisses and the feel of Chloe touching her that she hadn't even realized how far they had moved or how awkwardly they were pinned against the glass window.

"Are you ok?" Beca's eyes found Chloe's again and, although slightly out of breath, Chloe was wearing a satisfied smile as she nodded. "Are you sure? We hit the door pretty hard."

"I'm ok, are you ok?"

Beca regretfully removed her hand from Chloe's ass, placing it on the window to lightly support some of her weight, "I think so. My hands no worse off than yesterday."

Chloe moved her hands to Beca's sides and shimmied her hips a little making Beca groan slightly and slump a little further into her. God that sound and the weight turned her on like nothing else has before in her entire life.

"Get the door…"

"Are you asking me or telling me?" Beca grinned inching her lips closer with each word.

"It can be whatever you want it to be." Chloe playfully smirked. "As long as the end result is your lips on mine, us naked, and you fucking me senseless in your bed."

"Such language Beale," Beca tisked brushing the tip of her nose against Chloe's while the other woman laughed. "Are you that anxious to give me more hickeys?"

At this Chloe laughed harder before being quickly silenced with a kiss, but this time she could feel Beca's grin and felt the warmth of Beca's happiness. It was contagious and for the first time in what felt like her entire life, Chloe was content and completely happy. Granted the gravity of the situation would eventually catch up with her, but in this moment, she wasn't going to let anything ruin it.

The intensity and lightheartedness Beca exuded all at the same instant were new things for Chloe. They were things she never had or felt with her ex. Her ex was very black and white when it came to things like sex, there was no laughter it was always very intense, while Beca just had this way of pulling both off seamlessly.

It was practically minute one in their new adventure together and Beca already had every piece of her. God Chloe was going to love Beca for the rest of her life and it was going to be the best thing that ever happened to her.

Lightly humming, Chloe gave one more lingering kiss, "You earned that hickey."

"Those…" Beca confidently reminded.

"Excuse me, _those_ hickeys." Chloe said proudly. "What can I say, your fingers moved in perfect rhythm with your hips and you were hitting _all_ the right spots." Chloe felt Beca shiver against her. Placing her lips against the shell of Beca's ear, she lowered her voice further, "It was my way of telling you that I liked what you were doing to me. That you were working me over perfectly, that you gave me one hell of an orgasm. Remember?"

"Oh, I remember," Beca confidently acknowledged. "And if I _remember_ correctly you kind of love how I took the lead."

"I do, major, _major_ ," Chloe stressed she as kissed Beca's cheek and shimmed her hips a little more, "turn on for me. Feel free to take charge whenever you want."

"I always pictured something different with us," one of Beca's hands stilled Chloe's moving hips. As they locked eyes, she could see exactly what she was doing to Chloe because Chloe's eyes told her everything. "With other girls not so much, I'm very confident in bed, but with you I just pictured it going different for some reason and I was very ok with that. But I like how it turned out."

"Me too…Something about you just makes me give in completely," Chloe's back arched a little to prove her point. "It's your confidence and the uncanny way you looked at me. I mean fuck Bec," she was given a feather light kiss, stealing her breath because that is exactly what she's talking about, "right from the very first kiss you had me, I was putty in your hands."

"Let's be honest, there were times where I was putty in yours too."

Chloe grinned, "Oh I know, I loved watching you come undone by my doing."

Beca tilted her head to whisper into Chloe's ear this time, "That was hands down the hottest sex I have _ever_ had."

"Me too…" Chloe's voice trailed off.

They were quiet for a solid minute, just staring at each other wearing soft knowing smiles. It was a drastically different vibe from the past couple minutes and it was nice, it was relaxed. Instead of giving some crazy flirtatious remarks back and forth and continuing down the path that would have most certainly lead them to bed, Chloe slid her arms around Beca and opted to rest a cheek against Beca's shoulder.

Beca's arms worked their way around her and Chloe heaved a heavy sigh as she was pulled the other woman in closer. It felt incredible to be held, Chloe felt protected and safe and _wanted_ , but most importantly she felt loved. It was feelings she had been craving for years and it was the first time in this long journey of her life that she can finally say she felt complete.

Chloe knew she had been stupid to think that she could ever live without this or that someone could in some way replace the ways Beca makes her feel. Things should be messy right now, she should be incredibly heartbroken and devastated, and crying alone at home in the shower, but she's not. Instead she was breathing in everything that was Beca and just letting herself be quietly held for a few minutes.

Chloe had this friend in med school that always said that fate steered peoples paths and that the decisions that they made, whether good or bad, was the path they were meant to always go down. Stepping away from Beca had been one of those bad decisions, but looking back all the steps she took in between then and now that led her here, straight back into Beca's arms.

"You're the love of my life."

The words were whispered so faintly that Chloe almost second guessed hearing them.

"You're mine too…" Chloe uttered pressing her lips to Beca's t-shirt clad shoulder.

Beca drew in a heavy breath, "We've always been weirdly connected, haven't we?"

Chloe lightly giggled as she lifted her head, "It was the shower singing that bonded us."

Beca grinned, "Ehh for me, it wasn't singing, it was most likely your boobs."

Chloe playfully slapped Beca, "You're awful."

"You love it…"

"I do." Chloe gave a simple kiss.

"I'm still trying to get used to the fact that we're kissing. Like is this my life right now?" Beca bit her bottom lip.

"It is and you're such a _good_ kisser." Chloe ran a fingertip along Beca's bottom lip. "You're kind of incredible at it and you're also so cute."

Beca's face flushed, "Whatever."

Chloe nudged their noses together again, "Now, where were we?"

"Right, kissing," their lips brushed together, "we were definitely kissing."

"Uh huh," Chloe hummed as Beca captured her lips again.

As they stood there kissing, it was crazy to think that she had just fallen in love again, but Beca had and it all happened in a matter of just a few seconds. She didn't need time or to ask a million questions and get a million answers to what happened ten years ago, ten years ago doesn't matter anymore. All that matters is that they are going to work though whatever issues they have and that they were going to start today.

Things were just starting to heat up again, like _really_ heat up, like heating up where one of Chloe's hands was on her ass, while one of Beca's was under Chloe's t-shirt and slowly sliding up, when a small splash followed by multiple little splashes sounded from behind them.

Breaking the kiss, Beca rested her forehead against Chloe's and sighed, "I should have known that little asshole would get in the pool the minute my back was turned."

Chloe just giggled stealing another kiss, "I take it this isn't new?"

"Nope…" Turning slightly, Beca fought back a grin as they watched Lennon hop out of the pool, shake off, then dart off to the opposite side. "He knows he's not allowed in there unless he's told."

"I thought you were just joking about the whole pool thing last night."

"Nope," Beca cracked a smile watching Lennon lunge again before leaping into the pool, "definitely wasn't exaggerating."

"At least he looks like he's enjoying himself," Chloe joked running her hands sensually along Beca's sides. "We could've been enjoying ourselves too."

Turning back, Beca glanced down, noting how their bodies were practically glued together with one of her legs sandwiched between Chloe's. Fuck it was hot and she _really_ hated to pull herself away now.

Looking back up, Beca frowned, "Sorry if this kind of killed the mood."

"It's fine," Chloe stole another couple of kisses. When the last one threatened to continue on longer and deeper than the others, she placed her hands on Beca's chest and lightly separated them with a smile. "There will be plenty of adult time later. You better get your kid out of the pool."

Another splash sounded making Beca close her eyes and mumble, "He is _such_ a cockblock."

"Last time I checked you don't have that part," Chloe started sliding her hands down Beca's front where they were quickly halted, "unless something changed in the last month that I don't know about, because you know…" her prolonged pause made Beca's eyes flutter open, " _science_."

At that they both burst out laughing and Beca will admit that Chloe's timing on that one had been perfect. Chloe was just as sharp and flirtatiously witty as ever and Beca loved it. Had she not been so surprised by the old Chloe rearing its head, she probably would be hardcore blushing right now. Instead she was just happy to see little speckle of the old Chloe shining through.

Beca doesn't really care that Chloe has changed much because she is kind of loving the new dimensions of Chloe. Chloe was still weirdly confident in the ways she carried herself and made her laugh or feel wanted, yet Chloe was still just as sensitive and loving as ever. But Beca loved how they combined beautifully with the new Chloe to make probably the most attractive person Beca has ever met.

"Fuck, you're so beautiful," Beca managed to get out as their laughter subsided.

"Thank you," Chloe tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Now quit sweet talking me," she peeked over Beca's shoulder grinning, "and go get him before he starts lounging on a pool float. He's eyeing it hardcore from the steps." Lennon made a jump for it, but missed it by a longshot making her laugh, "Well not anymore."

"Jesus, give me a minute…" Reluctantly detangling herself from Chloe, Beca turned and strode over to the edge of the pool. Looking down she tried to hide her amusement as Lennon happily dogpaddled around the shallow end. "Hey! Get your ass outta the pool right now!" He sped up hearing that making a beeline for the steps. "Who told you, you could go swimming?"

Lennon promptly got out and just looked up at Beca with his head ducked and his ears back. A tactic that, although cute and usually makes her cave, just proved that he knew better.

"That's right, nobody." Just like a child in trouble, Lennon turned and headed for the partially open door. "Nope," he stopped and Beca heard a faint giggle almost breaking her, "don't you dare step one paw in that house until you get dried off."

Arms slipped around Beca's waist and a kiss was pressed to her shoulder. The simple action was new to her, her last girlfriend wasn't big on giving out much affection for no reason at all. Hell, Christina was, at times, even more standoffish than her in that department. But even as friends Chloe was always very affectionate and hands on, so Beca knows this relationship is going to be any different in so many ways. Beca has missed the little things like this and is looking forward to a little more affection and intimacy in a relationship.

"You've got the totally hot mom vibe going on," Chloe whispered in Beca's ear as Lennon stared up at them, "I dig it."

Beca couldn't keep a straight face anymore and laughed and seeing her crack up, Lennon perked up and started wagging his tail.

"You ruined my tough guy persona," Beca tried to toss back with a sigh.

"Hate to break it to you, but you never had one," Chloe finished the statement with a cheek kiss. As she wandered off toward to table she heard an annoyed scoff. "Oh don't give me that, you know you never fooled anyone, dark eyeliner and all."

After Lennon shook the water off, Beca scooped him up and continued to intently watch Chloe's retreating form. Even in pajamas Chloe still managed to make every single piece of clothing look good.

"Quit staring at me, perv," Chloe shot over her shoulder with a wink as she grabbed a towel.

Beca let out a slow breath, "Do you know how unfair it is to put restrictions on me like that Beale?"

"It's flattering, but you can't be undressing me with your eyes every chance you get."

"Why not?"

Chloe honestly didn't have a logical answer, "Fine, just be subtle about it while we're out in public."

Beca caught the towel tossed at her with one hand while trying to wrangle a squirming Lennon in the other, "I feel weirdly normal right now. Like we're slipping into old habits."

Chloe stopped in front of Beca, "Yeah same, I'm sure the gravity of the situation will hit us at weird times."

"I'm not complaining," Beca wrapped Lennon in the towel and dried his head and ears. "I'm just rolling with it." She looked up and found Chloe really close to her again. "It's nice to be normal, I honestly don't want to think about the past twenty-four seven. It impedes the future."

"Yeah, you're right. I just want to be happy," Chloe lightly tugged Beca's shirt bringing her closer, "and I want to be happy with you."

Chloe kissed her then and Beca felt like she was in a dream, one she hopes to never wake up from. Chloe was kissing her softly and with this tenderness that Beca can't quite describe but she knows it's something that she has never felt before. Kissing Chloe made all the heartache and sadness of the past ten year's worth it.

The kiss naturally broke and Beca gave a little bit of space between them when Lennon squirmed and tried to move into Chloe's arms, which she happily accepted as they shyly smiled at one another.

"Should have been a vet, Beale," Beca smiled as Chloe wrapped Lennon in the towel and kissed the top of his head. "You'd probably kill it."

"It was my backup plan in case the doctor thing didn't work out," Chloe winked. "So, does this little guy need a bath?"

"FYI he loves baths with one major caveat…" Lennon perked up at the word making them laugh. "I should probably at least rinse the chlorine off him, the pool guy came yesterday. After that I'll shower and we can go to a quiet spot for lunch and talk some more."

"I can take care of him while you get ready," Chloe offered.

"Oh, ok, are you sure? He can be a handful," Chloe just nodded. "Do yourself a favor and don't change until after you get him in and out of the tub, trust me."

Biting her lip, Chole followed Beca into the house and back towards one of the guest bathrooms.

"Um," Chloe quietly began, "when you say talk, do you mean like?"

Flipping the light on in the bathroom, Beca asked, "Like, in am I suddenly having regrets or second thoughts?" Chloe remained silent. "No, I'm not. I think the fact that I'm kissing you every chance I get pretty much shows you that I want this," she turned and gestured between them.

"Oh, ok good." Chloe tried to cover up her sudden return to her insecurities.

"I just figured we'd go out and talk at a lowkey place rather than be tempted to jump straight into bed." Beca cautiously stated stepping into the bathroom. "Look LA is going to shutdown in a matter of days and I'd like to figure out our situation before that happens."

"Oh," Chloe felt really stupid for even allowing her mind to question things so soon. "Sorry, I just, I kind of always assume the worst."

"And that's ok, it's bond to happen, just please don't shutdown on me," Beca rested her hip against the sink and gently smiled. "I just want to talk because I don't know about you, but I can't handle another long stretch of time separated from you not knowing when I'll see you again."

"But it will be for health reasons," Chloe tried to explain, "and I'm a doctor so I have to be even more careful."

"I know you want to be cautious but…" now it was Beca's turn to be silent for a few seconds, "damn this whole stupid virus thing is so inconvenient. Just when I get you, it might take you away."

"Not forever."

"True, but look things are going to progress very quickly for us in _many_ different ways," Beca arched an eyebrow as a silent tell and Chloe nodded in full understanding, "and although certain aspects aren't everything our relationship will be about, I know how important it was to both of us."

"It is and always has been a big part of my past relationships," Chloe acknowledged, shifting Lennon in her arms, "for me it goes hand-in-hand with dating and growing closer to someone. I need that type of affection in a relationship, just talking doesn't cut it for me."

Beca nodded, "And I know that I fucking suck at communicating and I'm not a big phone talker." Just like right now she's finding it really tough to find the right words. "I don't want us to fizzle out or argue because we're stressed from quarantine and the lack of seeing each other."

Chloe really had no idea how to fix this. "And I can't have a long distance relationship with you when you are in the same city."

"I want us to be as normal as possible, like I want dates and movie nights and all that good stuff even if it has to be at home. We can get creative," Beca felt her face heat up at the confession and at how excited she was to actually date Chloe. "I finally feel like we are one the verge of an extremely loving relationship if we can just get it started."

"I agree…"

"So that's what I want to talk about."

Chloe let out a relieved breath, "I can handle that. Sorry I got weird."

"It's all good," Beca easily smiled pushing off the sink.

"So, we're going out for lunch," Chloe stepped further into the bathroom, "and you're still making dinner?" Beca nodded turning the water on. "Can we have something light for lunch then?"

"I know the perfect spot," Beca took Lennon from Chloe's hands and held him up to look in his eyes "and yes we'll take you." Lennon licked the tip of her nose, making her scrunch it up. " _Only_ if you behave while Chloe gives you a bath and don't act like a fool."

"Bec, be nice to him," Chloe fought back a smile.

"No, if he wants to go to The Front Yard, a place we go every weekend and I get these homemade Pop-Tart things and he gets free puppy ice cream…" Beca set him down in the slowly filling tub, "then he _needs_ to _not_ act like a fucking maniac while you hose him down." Turning back to Chloe she pointed up to the shower head and informed, "He loves the water and bath time in general," they heard a splash and she closed her eyes letting out a slow breath, "but he considers the shower hose attachment thingy his mortal enemy."

In amusement, Chloe suspiciously eyed the detachable shower head, "It can't be _that_ bad."

Dropping her hand, Beca opened her eyes, "Oh sweetie, you laugh now, but you won't be laughing later," she smirked as she purposely brushed past Chloe knocking their shoulders. Before closing the door, she added, "Those towels hanging aren't just for him."

"I'm the dog whisperer, remember?" Chloe confidently grinned. "I'll have no issues."

"Whatever you say babe…There's a reason why the groomers only allow him to come once a month," Beca replied knowingly. "He won't bite you," she reassured, "but he's going to make your life extremely fucking difficult for the next fifteen minutes."

"We'll see about that," Chloe challenged.

Beca tilted her head, "His shampoo is under the sink and remember you're the one who volunteered as tribute…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Liked it, loved it or hated it? I want to know your thoughts, so drop me a review or shoot me a PM and let me know what you think.
> 
> Thank you guys for all the reviews and for those of you that checked in to see if I was still alive or just wanted to chat! I appreciate every one of you so thank you for taking the time and reaching out to me!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I promise fluffy fun times are in store for these two coming up! They just have to figure out how they are going to work a relationship in quarantine next chapter!
> 
> Take care!
> 
> Until next time...


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